


If I Could Reverse Back Time

by Exiti_Anima



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: All characters listed will pop up, BAMF Bucky Barnes, BAMF Tony Stark, Bucky Barnes Recovering, But not until Tony is better, Kid Tony Stark, LITERALLY, Like I said it's a slow burn, M/M, More like a teen, No Pedophilia, No tolerance for that, Not Steve Rogers Friendly, Protective Bucky Barnes, Slow Burn, Team Tony Stark, They'll get together when Tony is an adult, This is not taking place after or during Civil War, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony and Bucky will get together, Tony stark is not impressed, Tony will grow on them, Winter Soldier is a separate personality, eventually, give it some time, not team Cap friendly, not wanda maximoff friendly, post Age of Ultron
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2020-01-11 04:34:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 36,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18422901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Exiti_Anima/pseuds/Exiti_Anima
Summary: Wanda Maximoff could do it. She could right what's wrong, fix what was broken."Maximoff? What are you doing?"She could fix Tony Stark.Wanda Maximoff turned Tony Stark back into a teenager, a kid, but he wasn't going to stick around to find out what was in store for him. He'd escape in the middle of the night, like those cliche movies, and make his way to what would be his only hope to turn back into an adult.James "Bucky" Barnes.Winter was trying to live a somewhat normal life, pick up plums at noon and go back to his apartment, but then a kid stumbles into his life. With the promise of fixing Winter and getting the triggers out of his head on his tongue, the kid strikes a deal: help him get to America, and in return he'll fix Winter. And well...That's a deal he can't refuse.





	1. The Meeting of Two:  The Brainwashed and The Kid

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is! The first story I will be putting more than one chapter into! I want to repeat: THIS. IS. NOT. A. KID/ADULT. STORY. Tony is a teenager now, and yes this is a WinterIron story, but this is a slow burn. By the time they recognize their feelings for each other Tony will be an adult for a while. BUCKY AND WINTER WILL NOT HAVE FEELINGS FOR TONY WHILE HE IS A TEEN. I am not promoting pedophilia, that's disgusting, and Tony being a teen is only half the story. If you saw the WinterIron tag and the Kid Tony tag and thought it'd be that kind of story, turn back right now because it's not. To those of you that are here for the story, welcome! As stated before, this will be a multi-chapter and a slow burn so get comfortable!

If she reversed back time, she could make things right.

He wouldn’t become the Merchant that she used to fear as a child.

_She could shape him to be better._

“What-Maximoff? What are you doing?” The Merchant backed up, wary but not fearful. She had approached him in the middle of the night, the Merchant seemed to be an insomniac so she knew this was the perfect time to do it, while everyone else was asleep. 

“I’m going to make you better, someone that the team actually wants.” Wanda said, almost a whisper, and  _finally_  there was the spark of fear that Wanda craved to see from him.

She threw her magic at him, and his eyes rolled to the back of his head as he collapsed.

“Tony! Did you drop something?” Steve’s voice rang out and Wanda cursed internally. She liked Steve, but if he caught her now there’d be a lot of explaining to do. Luckily she could detect a hint of sleep in his voice, so he must’ve woken up to the noise with his super hearing.

“I got it Steve! He’s so tired he just dropped his coffee cup, I’ll get him right to bed!” Wanda called back, a voice of innocence, and made sure to keep her voice low enough as to not disrupt the others. Steve thanked her, and a few minutes later he was asleep when she started moving again.

Using her magic to pick up the broken coffee cup and dispose of it, she grabbed Merchant with her other hand using magic and lead him to his room. She doubted she could pick him up with her bare strength, but luckily that wasn’t an issue. Setting him down on his bed, she worked to reverse time.

It took hours, and left her nearly exhausted, but she did it. She took the Merchant and reversed him back to his teen years. Not necessarily the Merchant, but not Tony either. Anthony, then, she’d call him, the more innocent side of either of the other two names. Speaking of, the teen was awaking.

“Ugh...I thought Rhodey said he wouldn’t let me go out.” Anthony stirred awake, looking around and jolted up when he saw Wanda.

“Oh miss, are you okay? What happened?” Anthony hurried over to her side, and that’s when Wanda knew she made the right decision. Already he had good manners, fretting over a stranger, and with the right discipline Wanda could teach him to be better than his older self.

“It’s okay Anthony, I’m fine. I just had to do something exhausting.” She smiled kindly, but something she said made Anthony hesitant.

How-How do you know my name?” Anthony didn’t step away, but there was wariness warring with concern in his eyes.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Wanda dodged the question, she needed to know the time frame she put him in before she explained what was happening.

“Uh, I was at MIT with Rhodey and we were in our dorms. We had just finished our homework and were getting ready for bed, we had a big test tomorrow. I promised him I would stay in the dorm and not leave for a party, and he said he’d watch out for me.” Anthony smiled as he recalled his time with Rhodey, and Wanda knew that Rhodes had to be a good influence on Anthony’s life. He probably left at some point, and that’s when Anthony started to become the Merchant.

Well, Wanda would make sure it didn’t happen again.

“Okay Anthony, I want to explain something to you. When you grew up you became a very bad man, but you were given a second chance to make things right which is why you’re here now.”

“What do you mean, that I became a bad person? And the second chance thing?” Anthony took a step away from her, but he wasn’t panicking so Wanda didn’t see a need to do anything yet.

“You killed hundreds of people Anthony, you became known as the Merchant of Death, but I reversed back your age so you had a second chance to grow up right and under the right guidance.”

“Did I hurt you?” Anthony’s voice sounded so small, and he looked so sad that Wanda felt pity for him. She knew that she wouldn’t put any blame on this version of the Merchant, he had no idea what he did when he grew up. But she would have to be strict and remind him of the things his old self did so history wouldn’t repeat itself.

“Yes, but I’m not angry at you. I just want to make sure you grow up correctly this time to stop others from getting hurt.” Wanda explained softly, and Anthony nodded along as if it made perfect sense to him. Good, this version had more compassion and a sense of justice it seemed. Wanda could see this going well, she had her doubts before but she knows she can make things good again with this type of cooperation from Anthony.

“So how did that work? You getting me here?”

“I didn’t pull you from another timeline, but instead I took the Tony Stark of this timeline and reversed  _his_ age. You won’t have any recollection of what happened past the point of age I regressed you to.”

“Oh, okay, l just don’t want more things to mess up because of me, especially timeline-wise. But you’re really smart to do that instead of taking me from another timeline, thank you for this opportunity.” Anthony smiled up at her, his stature small for a teenager, and Wanda smiled back.

“Get some sleep, I’ll come talk to you tomorrow.” Wanda closed the door gently behind her, and grinned because her plan worked perfectly. Tomorrow, she would tell the other Avengers and they’d see reason. Then, they could all work together to raise the Merchant better.

* * *

Tony dropped the act the moment that  _psycho_ closed the door. Make him a better person? Regressed his age? What a load of bull. Out of all of the kidnappings he had, this one had to be the craziest kidnapper. Although...

Everything did seem far too advance for him to still be in the same year that he went to MIT.

Not to mention as psycho as that lady is, she did give a pretty good explanation to what happened. From what he got out of her, he somehow did something to her that made it justifiable to  _turn him back into a teenager._ He didn’t know how old he used to be and, true to her word, he didn’t remember anything other than his own memories he has currently.

“Okay okay think, if this really is the future I  _have_  to find a way out of here. I can’t be stuck with her and nobody knows.”

“Uh, Boss?” A voice called out from the ceiling and Tony looks up.

“Hello? Who are you?”

“My name is FRIDAY. I’m an AI you created when you were-well, when you were your regular size and age.”

“Nice to meet you FRIDAY, I guess she really was telling the truth.”

“Yes, unfortunately, the witch was telling the truth.”

“Witch huh? I like the mouth you got on you FRIDAY.” Tony said, amused, before he got serious, “Okay, since you’re on my side you can relay me some info right?”

“Yes Boss, I’m definitely on your side and I’ll help you any way I can.”

“Good, so, is there anybody else in this building?”

“Yes Captain America or Steve Rogers, Hawkeye who’s otherwise known as Clint Barton, Black Widow for Natasha Romanov, Wanda Maximoff or the Scarlet Witch, Sam Wilson as Falcon and the Vision.”

“God, what’s with half of them being based on animals?” Tony snorted as he looked for a tablet or some form of electronic. He knew older him would have one in his bedroom, there was no way he wouldn’t if he was anything like the way he was when he was younger 

“Good point Boss, I don’t know.” FRIDAY said, amused, and Tony smiled triumphantly when he found a tablet.

“Alright, is there any way to reach any information I may have questions about?”

“Well, SHIELD usually holds all information that goes on in the background and about the others in the building. If you want to hack in, or want me to hack in, you could get the information.”

“Thanks Fri, I want you to hack in since I might mess up and put them on our tail.”

“I doubt you would, but I’ll do it right away.” Tony smiled at FRIDAY’s confidence in him, and a few moments later SHIELD was pulled up.

“You have all the access you need Boss.”

“Thanks Fri, I’ll let you know if I need something or have any questions.” They sat in silence, Tony comforted at the fact that despite him being in an unknown place he had an ally, and read all of the files on the other people in this building.

“Rogers and Maximoff have restricted files, can we open those and pull them up both?”

“Yes, I’ll do that.” Friday did so and Tony read Maximoff’s first, since she seemed to be the priority to learn about first.

“Hydra? What’s Hydra?” Tony muttered, and clicked on the link that opened up a whole new file on this organization.

“Wow, that’s dark.” That was also an understatement, Hydra was an evil organization that infiltrated SHIELD quite some time ago and still ongoing.

“And Maximoff was apart of this? No wonder where she gets her insane ideas from. It also seems to be where she got her powers from, based on the files they got from the base she was at.” Tony filed that away for later, and focused on Rogers’s restricted file.

Huh, _that_ was interesting. James Buchanan Barnes, otherwise known as the Winter Soldier and Hydra’s favorite assassin.

Nobody can stay dead these days it seems.

Tony was horrified because Bucky wasn’t Hydra’s favorite willing, he was  _tortured._ Quickly checking the date Bucky supposedly “died” he had been with Hydra for around  _70 years._ Apparently he had escaped after fighting Steve but  _still_ , 70 years of being tortured and wiped and tortured-

It was horrendous.

And he may be his only hope.

“Fri, use any resource possible to do a facial recognition of Barnes and find the last place he was seen at.”

“On it.” While waiting for FRIDAY, Tony found his phone that older him seemed to use and switched all files and important information to the phone so he could have it if need be.

“I found him boss, he’s in Romania and seems to frequent a market.”

“Good, do we have any more of transportation around here?”

“Multiple cars, motorcycles, a SI jet-“

“That one. I want a jet.”

“I don’t think you know how to drive a jet.”

“No, but you do. Put in the coordinates for the town he was seen in and drop me off around 2 miles from there.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I need to see James Barnes.”

* * *

Wanda heard a jet start up, and figured it was Clint going off somewhere-he did that sometimes if he had a particularly bad nightmare-and knew he would be back tomorrow. She didn’t even think that it had the slightest connection to Anthony, it couldn’t. For one he was young, just a teenager, and had no way of flying a jet. Even if he did, he wouldn’t since he was willing to change his future for the better.

She turned over and dozed off to sleep again, ready for tomorrow to initiate her plan.

* * *

Tony touched down on the land and, after promising FRIDAY he’d be fine, sent the jet back to the building. He wouldn’t be using it, and it lessened the chance of someone finding him with it gone.

“Alright, two miles to the east. Let’s find this town.” Tony started on his trek and grasped his bag straps, the bag itself filled with things he thought he might need. His phone was in his frankly oversized sweatpants, and an oversized tee went down to his knees. He’d have to find Barnes, and then find a clothing store because he couldn’t keep going like this dressed how he was now.

Tony finally made it to the town and, looking at his watch, figured this would be around the time Barnes would come out to play. True to his assumption when it struck noon, Barnes came out of a building and made his way to a market-keeping low. It was interesting to watch his behavior because, if you knew what to look for, it was obvious he was wary and distrustful of everything around him. Whether it was conscious or not, he’d survey everyone in his perimeter and look for exits and possible weapons. He also hunched in on himself to make it seem smaller than he actually is as to not draw attention to himself, Tony also noticed he had a tendency to clench and unclench his metal arm.

Tony slipped into the building Barnes came from and, after observing his behavior, chose a door that looked like it would be Barnes. The others were decorated, but this door was completely bare. Of course he could be lock picking someone else’s door, and wouldn’t  _that_ be hard to explain, but he didn’t think so. Stepping inside quietly, he shut the door behind him and looked around.

“Okay, the only way I’m going to figure out if this is his room is looking around. Should be easy, I  _have_ to do this. There’s no other option.” And with that, he started searching.

* * *

The Asset- _Winter damn it._   _Winter_ picked up some plums and nodded politely to the seller as he paid for the plums and quickly made his way back to his room. He didn’t like going out but he also liked plums and wasn’t going to not get them now that he had an option too. Biting into his plum he reached for his door, but paused when he felt it unlocked. Damn, he was just getting comfortable here but he  _knew_  he locked his door. Reaching for his gun, he opened his door quietly as to not alert the intruder he was there. Looking around, he could tell the intruder had been shifting through his stuff and saw him in the kitchen.

“Who are you?” Winter said lowly, pointing a gun at a male. It didn’t matter that he was a teen, Hydra recruited anyone.

“Oh! Hello!” If the boy was fazed by the gun, he didn’t let it show. “My name is Tony Edward, I wanted to be your partner!”

“I’m sorry?” This boy threw Winter in a loop, a partner? What did he know about Winter?

“I know about your time with Hydra.” Tony said easily, as if reading his mind, “Which is why I came to you, see I’m running from an organization too-two actually. I did some digging and found your file, and knew you were my best opportunity to make it out of this alive.”

“I don’t know about that, with Hydra possibly looking for me and I’m on the run.” Winter shot back, if this kid was being truthful and saw his file then he’d know all about his value to Hydra.

“Yeah well I’m about to have  _two_ gangs looking for me bud, so when it comes to that I think I got you there.” Tony snorted and continued, “Look, here’s the deal. I want to team up with you and make our way back to America, preferably soon. As of right now, we’re both on the run and, despite my small stature, I can be useful to you. You can’t spend every night awake because you don’t trust yourself to fall asleep only to end up in Hydra’s hands again.” Tony said pointedly, eyes darting to his unused sleeping bag before back to him, “In return, after accompanying me to America, I can get the triggers out your head.”

“You know about the triggers?”

“Yes. But I can help get them out.”

“How?” Winter demanded and Tony brightened, reaching into his bag and pulling out blueprints with notes attached to them.

“It’s all here.” As Winter read over the notes that were strangely in Russian, Tony stood still as to not interrupt him. He wouldn’t of had came to Winter without some type of bargaining tool, and he realized that his triggers were the biggest ones. Luckily, older him had already started BARF which helped Tony enormously now.

“And this will get the triggers out for good?” Winter asked, and here Tony’s lips thinned.

“Yes, but it’s not an easy process. It’s a long one, full of therapy and slow but sure process. But I swear to you, with enough time, we’ll get you better.” Tony said, grim but determined, and Winter was inclined to believe him.

“America, you said?”

“Yes and if I ever become dead weight or you think I’m a traitor, which I won’t be, you have full rights to leave me behind or even kill me.” Tony stuck out his hand, serious, “Do we have a deal?”

Winter stared at this teen in front of him, so determined to see Winter through to the end, and clasped his hand with his metal one.

Tony’s expression didn’t change.

“Deal.”

“Good, so what’s your name anyway? I really don’t want to be calling you the Asset.” Tony asks as he lets go, because he knows he’s James Buchanan Barnes, but he wanted to know if maybe he went by a different name. 70 years of torture messes with people.

“Winter.”

“Alright Winter then. I don’t know what those Hydra garbage were thinking when they decided ‘oh the Asset is a wonderful name for an assassin’ but whatever. You pick your name much better.” Tony lifted himself up in the counter, before groaning and looking at Winter sheepishly.

“Do you know if there’s a clothing market nearby? I have the money, but I need clothes because as you can see these don’t fit me. Also I’m going to need some necessities if we’re staying here for more than a night.” Winter looked at his clothes, and then back at the teen.

“I’ll take you to the market, it’ll look less suspicious, and I want to get a move on as soon as possible so we’ll be leaving in two days. Why don’t you have clothes that fit you? And how do you have money if you came from America?”

“How do you know I’m from America?” Tony avoided the first question easily, and Winter made sure to take note of that.

“Because you have an American accent, and you need to go back to America which means you obviously know something or someone there. Despite the fact these are written in Russian, you’re obviously American.”

“Good observation skills Winter,” The person in question narrowed his eyes, was that the point of asking? To see if he would be able to pick up on it? But Tony was already moving on, “I raided the area I was held at before leaving, and they had money for multiple different countries. I grabbed stacks of what countries we’ll be going through in case we need to buy something. As for my clothes, well, I guess they didn’t care enough to get clothes for a teen. They’re all adults anyway from what I gleaned before leaving.” Tony’s eyes darkened at the mention of the place and people that held him captive, and Winter moved on. It wasn’t necessary to know what they did with the teen, he was here now and was going to get the triggers out his head. That’s all that mattered.

“Come, lets get you clothes.” Winter grunted and Tony brightened, grabbing his bag and trailing Winter.

“Here.” Before they went outside the building, Tony fished in his bag and handed Winter a small stack of money. “We don’t want to give it away that we have money, they might try to steal it, so keep this on your person so I won’t have to go for the bag and give it away that’s where the money is.” Winter nodded, Tony was smart to think that, and then they went out the door.

_“Hello sir! I don’t see you out often, you’re usually so quiet!”_ A clerk said, laughing, and Winter easily translated it in his head and responded.

“ _Yes well my...”_ Winter glances over at Tony, who was picking out an assortment of outfits, all made for travel Winter notes appreciatively,  _“nephew came to spend some time with me. He needed clothes though since he forgot to pack his own, teenagers are irresponsible like that.”_ Winter settled on a story, and would have to tell Tony it later if they wanted to keep face. He knew that teenagers are known for being irresponsible, the stereotype of that age, so he used it to his advantage.

“Uncle! I got the clothes I need!” Tony chirped happily as he set the clothes on the counter, and Winter wondered if he had thought up the same plan he had.

_“Can he understand what we’re saying?”_

_“I’ll ask, I haven’t seen him in a while.”_ Winter switches back to English and turns towards Tony, feeling the clerk watching them carefully, “Do you know that language?”

“No, why?” Tony tilts his head innocently, and Winter sees through his lie-but Tony probably knew he would. So it’s an act for the clerk, then.

_“He can’t understand us, but I can translate anything if want to say something.”_

_“No no that’s not necessary.”_ The clerk shook his head and smiled at Tony before looking back at Winter.  _“He doesn’t need to know what I say.”_

_“Right.”_ Winter pays for the clothes and whatever else Tony had brought with him and then they left. Winter waited until they were back in his apartment until he asked.

“You speak that language?”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t need to know that. It’s better if he doesn’t, in case he says anything around me he wouldn’t say in front of you.” Tony started unpacking as he spoke, and Winter hummed in agreement. They were silent for a good minute, and then Tony looked outside.

“I’ll take first shift.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’d be dumb to think you’ll sleep the first night, if any night, the whole way. But I’ll take first shift until you wake up.” When Winter stared at him, trying to understand his motives while calculating the risks, Tony sighed, “Look Winter, this is the first step. Small steps, okay? Sleep, and let me take first shift. At least for 30 minutes, we have to take steps if we want to trust each other to have each other’s backs while traveling. I’m trying to start it here, somewhere that you felt at least remotely comfortable, instead of out there where you’ll be on high alert.”

“...Fine. Don’t try anything.” Winter scowled as he laid down, and Tony let out a huff of laughter.

“As if, you could probably murder me in your sleep.” Winter closed his eyes and after a few minutes let the crease in his brow go lax along with his body. He evened his breathing, and then waited to see what Tony would do while thinking he was asleep.

“Huh, he actually fell asleep.” Tony muttered as he shifted to stand up and Winter didn’t react, not yet at least. “Now where’d I put it...?” There was shuffling around in what seemed to be his bag and he made a small noise of success when he found it.

“Does he have a pen somewhere? Never mind I got one.” Tony muttered and then sat back down next to Winter on his own sleeping bag. There was a sound of something getting scratched out and Tony sighing.

“Alright, step one of getting to him complete. Now I have to get to America and help him.” There was a pause and then the sound of flipping of pages, “I should probably take note that he’ll most likely wake up from nightmares.” A snort, “Who can blame him? With all that stuff those Hydra agents did I’m not surprised he came out of it with a different name and mood.” Shuffling again, Tony getting comfortable. “Well, I’m in here for the long run, let’s hope I can get him to stick with me. I need to get to America, if that psycho gets a hold of me then I’ll be screwed.” A hum of thoughtfulness and a hand on his chest, and he forced himself not to reach out and  _break._ Really, from what Winter saw, this child was suppose to be  _smart._ “That’s what I thought, when I help him maybe I can convince him to take a look at that. I mean, as much as I hate Hydra, it’s pretty advanced, but I can make it better. There’s no way he’d want something of Hydra’s connected to him if there’s another better option.” Tony had shifted his shirt to see his shoulder, he guessed to look at where flesh connected to metal. The hand was removed and it was silent.

Winter fell into a light doze, and when he felt rested enough he woke up.

“Hey Frosty Freeze, you up?” Tony asked as he watched Winter, and the soldier raised a brow.

“Frosty Freeze?”

“I make up names for everyone, ask Rh-“ Tony’s face completely shut down, but Winter could see suppressed panic in his eyes.

“Child?”

“I’m fine.” Tony flashed a completely fake smile, and shrugged, “Anyway, I make up names for everyone. This won’t be the last time you hear something like that.” Winter didn’t bother asking about what happened a moment ago, not his problem as long as it didn’t interfere with the mission.

“Sleep. It’s my turn.” Tony shrugged and fell back on his sleeping bag, grunting as he hit it too hard and felt the floor. He turned to his side, and a few minutes later his breathing evened out. Winter looked at the notebook next to Tony and, leaning over to grab it, took it. He couldn’t risk his partner having anterior motives.

**Plan:**

_~~1\. Find James Buchanan Barnes and convince him to join me (or is it me joining him?) and prove your not a liability. Offer to help him with his triggers (see Hydra files)~~_

_~~2\. Find clothes and any other necessities you may need~~_

_~~3\. Trust. That’ll be important. Start with getting him to sleep around you. Preferably before we do anything life risking.~~  _

_4\. Make our way to America._

_5\. Get to Malibu house as a safe house._

_6\. Contract Stephen Strange (see Personal File you made) he may be the only one that can help you._

_7\. Help Barnes._

**Additional:**

_-Nightmares. Those are still a thing, apparently._

_-Stay away from psycho or anyone that can be connected to her (like an agent maybe? Or anyone from her team?)_

_-Nightmares part two. Barnes-Winter now-has them too. Obviously. Watch out for those, his will probably be significantly more dangerous for those around him._

- _Prosthetic. Dad always said it was dumb to look into that but jokes on him because it wasn’t dumb. So ha._ _ ~~(Sleep might be a thing in my future because these are turning hysterical)~~_ _I’ll see if I can help him, but that’s the far away future._

Winter flipped through a few more pages and nothing was there, so he closed it and set it back at Tony’s side. So, it seems that the child didn’t really have any ill intent. That was good to know, not turning a traitor anytime soon at least.

He stood vigilant for the rest of the night.

* * *

He went back to the market for last minute supplies, Winter was still in the apartment packing up, and looked around for what he was looking for. 

“Ah ha.” Tony said triumphantly, grabbing the wrench and other mechanical parts he was looking for. It was a long road ahead of them, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t have something for his hands to play with. What he grabbed wouldn’t take up any space, it was rudimentary really-especially compared to MIT-but it would do to keep his hands busy and possibly even help them out.

As he was looking for any food that wouldn’t go bad, making note that after he got out of this store to go to the market and grab some plums for Winter, he noticed it was eerily quiet in the store. There was nobody else but him and the clerk and, maybe he was being paranoid, it made his hairs stand on end.

_“I found him, he was with what he claimed to be his uncle. Secure him? Yes sir, I’ll make sure he doesn’t leave.”_ Tony’s eyes widened, thankfully he was in another aisle away from the clerk, and he knew he had to get out of there. Schooling his expression into calmness, he walked up to the counter and set his materials on the counter.

“All done!” Tony smiled, the clerk smiling back, and watched as his stuff got rang up.

“Ah, Tony, would you mind staying? I haven’t had a chess player in a long time.” His accent may be thick, but Tony knew the agent was fluent in English.

“Um, one game? And you promise I can go after, no matter the outcome?” Tony widened his eyes to give a childlike innocence look to him, and the agent nodded vigorously.

“Yes yes, come child let me show you.”

“Actually, could you come over here? Before I go with you, I mean. An old family friend of mine always insisted that promises be sealed by the pinkie. It’s childish, but I want to uphold the tradition.” While he was speaking, Tony was packing up what he bought into his bag and leaving only the wrench out-in his hand.

“Of course, here.” The clerk came around the counter and bent down, holding out his pinkie, “How’s this?”

“Perfect.” Tony moved quickly, using all his body weight into his hit with the wrench, and the clerk fell silently. “Alright, let’s see what you got on you.” There was a gun, ID SHIELD badge, and...

“What’s this?” Tony threw a small disk to a refrigerator that held all the sodas, and there was a shock that was let out before the refrigerator stopped working. “A disruptor? For what?”

_Metal arm._

“For Winter?” It made sense, SHEILD had a file on him after all. Tony didn’t think this agent knew about the file, or Winter for that matter, considering that file was a highly confidential one. What was more likely was that this device was given to him and he was told his any hostile force came along that had something metal to use it. SHIELD probably didn’t want everyone to know because Rogers was looking for him.

_I can think of others that uses metal...._

Tony searched him for more of those discs and found three more, and he took them. He raced back to the area where he found his parts and grabbed some more stuff. If most of the SHIELD agents had those disruptors, then he’d have to make sure it wouldn’t affect Winter’s arm.

He bit his lip as he packed the extra parts in the bag, looking at the SHEID agent. It’d be best to kill him, so he couldn’t report to the higher ups that he’s with Bucky...

Walking almost mechanically he stood in front of the body and, facing away from the door, grabs the gun off the counter and points it at the clerk.

_'Do it boy, it’s necessary.'_ Tony could hear Obie whispering in his ear, and he felt like he was back at the gun range.

_'I-I don’t want to learn.'_  

_'You’re going to be making weapons for your industry, you need to learn how to use them too.'_

_But why?'_

_'Someday you’ll be pointing this gun at someone, a real person, and you’ll need to shoot to kill. Whether it’s to protect yourself or someone else it won’t matter.'_ He could almost feel Obie’s hand on his shoulder, trying to relax him, and could taste the blood in his mouth from biting his cheek too much.

“I’m not a murderer.” Tony muttered out loud, and could feel Howard standing on his other side. There was mounting pressure from each side, it felt as if someone else was flicking off the safety, and Howard and Obie exploded at the same time.

**_“Do it!”_  **

_The Tony of the past, so young, shot a fire off at their synchronized yells, and managed to hit the head of the target._  

_'Good, now keep doing it until your aim is perfect. I don’t care if your hands come out shaking.'_  

“I’m not a murderer!” Tony threw down the gun, and stood there breathing heavily for a long moment while turning away. “They’re not with me now. I’m not a murderer.” Tony picked up the gun, flicking back on the safety trigger, and put it away. He took the ID badge too, just in case, and walked out the store.

_“Hey! This guy needs help!”_ Tony spoke in the foreign language, and someone came up to him.

_“What’s wrong mister?”_

_“I was just walking out the store when the clerk collapsed! I don’t know what’s wrong but he needs help!”_ Tony said, acting panicked, and the lady thanked him for grabbing someone before walking inside. Taking that as his cue to leave, Tony raced to the apartment.

“Winter! We need to leave now!” Tony came bursting through the door, and Winter crossed his arms.

“What happened?”

“The clerk was an agent, and he knows I’m here! He contacted backup before I could knock him out-“

“You knocked him out?”

“Yes I knocked him out, I had to! He was trying to keep me in the store and there was nobody else in it!”

“Calm down, did you pack everything beforehand?”

“Yes, everything is in my bag-or on top of it for the sleeping bag.”

“Good, now lets get going. We don’t want to be here when that agent wakes up.” Winter shrugged his own bag over his shoulders and they left the apartment.

_“Mister!”_ A voice called out, foreign but easy to translate, and Tony turned around to see the lady again, “ _Thank you once again-oh. Are you leaving?”_

_“Yes, I hope the man is okay. Thank you for your hospitality.”_ Tony smiled and nodded as he spoke, thanking Howard internally for teaching him about diplomacy, and the lady smiled back.

_“Of course.”_ Tony caught up to Winter, who had still been walking, and they walked in silence.

“We’ll have to sleep in the woods for tonight since we left late.”

“That’s fine.” Tony shrugged and they continued on.

* * *

Steve frowned at the video being shown in front of him. 

_“I’m not a murderer!”_ The teen Tony on the static video threw down the gun and turned away from the body, breathing heavily. When he turned back around, he grabbed the gun and threw a disc off of the camera view. Whatever he saw must’ve interested him, because he went back and looted the agent.

“Did Tony seem off to you?” He asked the agent in front of him, who shook his head.

“Not at all! He acted like a normal teenager that had higher than average intelligence, but the same naiveness. When he asked me to seal the promise, I didn’t think anything of it until his expression changed and he shifted forward to hit me. By then it was too late, and I went down.” At the mention, he pressed the ice pack harder to his head, and Natasha hummed.

“He probably lied when he said he didn’t know the language, and when you contacted Fury he overheard it.”

“Doesn’t he want to come back? I can fix him!” Wanda sniffled, and Steve’s heart ached for her. She was a little misguided when she turned Tony to a teenager, but she had good intentions.

“When you told him about your intentions and what you planned to do to him, he freaked out. Tony’s dealt with kidnappings many times and probably thought you were delusional. He most likely found out that this actually was the future and ran away to get help. From who, I don’t know, but he’s been in SHIELD files and in other files too. He didn’t leave any evidence to trace, though, so we can’t figure out which files he looked through.”

“Uh, he was with what he called his uncle. About this high, real scary lookin, oh! And he had a metal arm on him too!” The agent gestures, and Steve paled.

“Thank you agent, you can go now.” Natasha motions to the door and the agent leaves, “He went after Soldat? Why?”

“I don’t know, but we have to find him.”

* * *

_Red all he could see was red-_

_"_ Tony! Wake up!” Tony jolted awake, he could feel cold sweat on his body, and he could see Winter leaning over him.

“Winter.” Tony breathed and, rolling off to the side, he got up shakily. “I’m fine.” The stars were out tonight, and he looked up at them to avoid Winter’s doubtful gaze.

“Really, I am.”

“Will it interfere with the mission perimeters?” Ah, it seemed that Winter was thinking of Hydra again. Whenever he thought of his time with the organization Winter would revert back to choppy sentences and short vocabulary, like how it was when he was the Asset.

“No, no it won’t.” He would just have to avoid looking at red things for the next few days, but that was  _okay._

On the other hand, if he ever saw the witch again he’d have some words for her.

“Good.”

“I’ll take shift, get some sleep.” Tony offered and, after staring at him blankly, Winter went to his sleeping bag obediently and lied down. A few minutes later and he was asleep.

“I really need to get to Strange soon.” Tony raked a hand through his hair and sighed, leaning back on a tree. They had made some progress since the last time they left, around two days ago, and one more trek through the woods and they’d near another small town where they could restock in resources. Tony had also made some headway on making Winter’s prosthetic immune to the device the SHIELD agent had on him, but had yet to touch the actual prosthetic.

He flipped open his notebook and started sketching the prosthetic and how what he had been making would fit into it theoretically. Tony didn’t know how much time had passed, but eventually Winter started moving.

“Winter?” Tony set down his notebook and crept over to his partner, something wasn’t right. When Winter arose it was usually without sound, but this time there was frantic shuffling as if he was trapped.

_A nightmare?_

Surprisingly, Tony had yet to see Winter experience one but that was probably because of him not falling asleep long enough for it to happen. Not this time, apparently.

“Winter, wake up you’re not there you’re here in a forest with a teenage boy who _really_ doesn't know what to do in this situation-“ Tony was rambling, hoping that his words reached inside of Winters nightmare, and then Winter’s eyes snapped open.

“Winter?”

“Who the hell is Winter?” 


	2. You Think This Is My Fault? Think Again.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony is not happy with SHIELD or the Avengers, and they're about to hear why. 
> 
> Bucky woke up and found himself traveling with a kid compressed with rage and determination, now if only he could figure out what's going on in his head.
> 
> Rhodey just wants to have a week of relaxation, but he's Tony Stark's best friend so that can never happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter! Whoo! This is probably the fastest time I've published a work right after another one, it usually takes a month, but I'm gonna keep this momentum going!

“W-What? What do you mean who’s Winter?”

“Exactly what I said, is there any other meaning to that phrase?” Not-Winter said, and Tony was beginning to get it. This personality had an attitude, Tony noted distantly, but that didn’t matter because _Winter had different personalities._ Or was it Bucky that had different personalities? It was Bucky that was the host since the beginning, Winter could’ve came from Bucky’s time with HYDRA-

“Punk?” Bucky was looking a little concerned, and Tony realized that he had been spacing out 

“Sorry, uh, what’s your name?” Tony asked awkwardly, because he had a suspicion but-

“Bucky Barnes.” Annddd he was right. Of course he was. Not for the first time, Tony wished he wasn’t. This made everything more difficult, it didn’t seem that Bucky wasn’t even _aware_ of Winter and he didn’t have his memories which means he didn’t know about Tony or the deal they made.

“Alright Barnes, don’t freak out on me okay?” At Bucky’s more hesitant nod, Tony continued, “I need you to close your eyes and concentrate. There’s some memories you’re missing right now and you need to remember them.”

Bucky snorted, “Yeah right, who are you? One of the lieutenants kid?”

“Does this look like one of your campsites in the war? We’re in the middle of the woods! Don’t say we’re staking out an area, because if I was someone’s child why would they let me out here? I doubt I even look like anybody you know.” Bucky squints at him, and snaps his fingers.

“Howard.” Tony flinches back and _no._

“Do you think _Howard Stark_ of all people was interested in having kids while he was in the middle of a war? Or at all?”

“No...no he wouldn’t.” Bucky shook his head, everything was foggy he couldn’t remember anything. Just...

_Laughing. It’s so...futuristic._

_He looks to the side, someone small is next to him._

_And then...._

_Nothing._

“I don’t remember a lot, but Howard was futuristic. Always focused on making everything better, I don’t think he’d have time for a kid.”

“Yeah, you got that right.” The kid snorted, and Bucky needed his name soon.

“What’s your name kid?”

“Tony.” He said stiffly, still looking a little alarmed and slightly confused at Bucky being there, and Bucky looks around.

“So what do I have to do to regain my memories?”

“Close your eyes.” Tony instructed, and Bucky did so. The worst that can happen is that he makes a fool out of himself and this kid is pranking him. If it’s not a joke, then he can get some of his memories back. “Okay I want you to recall what you last remember.”

“A train.” Bucky said slowly, trying to think and immerse himself in the memory.

“How do you feel?”

“Cold.”

“What’s beneath your feet?” Bucky took a step forward, eyes still close.

“Snow.”

“What’s in front of you?”

“Carts. A person.”

“How do you feel with this person.”

“At peace, comforted. Safe.” Bucky frowned, things were speeding up. “Something’s happening. Making me feel anxious, something’s wrong.”

“Okay okay go back to the person, who is that?”

“He’s-he’s trying to catch me! I’m _falling-!”_ Bucky opens his eyes and sees Tony staring at him, wide eyed.

“Hey you’re fine okay? No falling here, sit down.” Tony sat and motioned for him to copy what he just did, and Bucky did. “What I just did was a cognitive recall, to see what you remember and what was going on.”

“Does what I describe match up with anything you know about me?” Does this kid even know him?

“Yes, actually, you went on a train and fell to your presumed death.”

“Presumed?”

“Well, you’re here aren’t you?” Bucky would’ve snorted, but the mood was too somber and he was too confused.

“So what happened? Was I in a coma? Who found me?”

“That’s where we need to go to. You need to find out what happened in that time span, and why I call you Winter.”

“You can’t tell me yourself?” Bucky felt a flash of irritation run through him, he didn’t have _time_ for this because he needed to get back to-

To who?

He didn’t know, but that person was important. It was the person from the train. How much time had past? Would that person still be here?

“It’s better that you find the memories, I can guide you to situations and your brain should take it from there.”

“I’m ready.” Bucky closed his eyes, and Tony started again.

“Okay, you fell off the train. Who found you?”

“Men. Two, maybe more. Bad men.”

“Where do they take you?”

“Base.” A name flashed through his mind. “Hydra.”

“Good, you’re on the right track. Okay keep going through your memories, follow that path I set for you. I’ll be right here besides you.”

“Okay.” He could do this, he could....

_Chair. Torture. Kill. Wipe. Chair. Maintenance. Arm. Metal. Training. Torture. Kill. Wipe. Triggers. Puppet. Dates. Assassinations. Split. The Asset split. Soldier now. No Bucky. Bucky is hidden. Soldier will take on the pain. Triggers. Bucky can’t control his body. Only Soldier. Target: Captain America. Something happened. Free. Run. Escape. Hydra can’t catch me-us. Bucky will go to sleep. Winter will keep watch. Child. Tony. Offer. Protection. Triggers. Only chance of getting triggers out. Mission: Get to America and help child. Perimeters Accepted. Secret agent. Run. Nightmare. Bucky woke up._

“I-I remember. My time with Hydra, it was 70 years. Some of the,” Bucky open his eyes and swallowed, “kills are a little foggy but I remember.”

“That’s good, I know it’s a lot of information to take in so I want you to go back to sleep. When you wake up, we can talk more.”

“What happens if I wake up as Sold-Winter?”

“Well I’m not a psychologist or a neurologist, but I think that now that you’re conscious you’ll be able to communicate with Winter. Don’t take my word for it, we’ll figure it out tomorrow no matter who you wake up as.”

“Okay, thanks kid.” Bucky goes to lay down, but then pauses, “How’d you know to do that? Take me back to my memories thing?”

“I didn’t professionally learn how to read behavior, but I had to learn. I was taught by a family friends. Their names were Jarvis and Peggy”

“I don’t have my actual memories back, just Winter’s. I don’t know anything before the train, just vague memories that don’t piece together and have obvious time lapses.”

“I didn’t think you would. Through therapy with an actual professional you may get some more memories, along with BARF, but other memories may be lost forever. You went through 70 years of trauma, it’s not unexpected that you lost memories along the way. Trauma does that to you.” Bucky thought about that for a moment, the possibility of not knowing that person or what his mother looked like, and tried to lighten the mood. This kid was intelligent, to say the least, but he was still a kid. He didn’t need to be burdened by Bucky’s conflicting emotions.

“BARF? I hope I don’t have to live up to that name when I start using it.” Tony laughed and Bucky felt a little lighter now that there was a trickle of happiness.

“Yeah me too. It stands for Binarily Augmented Retro-Framing but what’s the fun in calling it that? BARF is much better, don’t you think?”

“Yeah definitely kid.” Bucky chuckled and laid down, “Are you sure you can’t sleep?”

“Winter and I usually take shifts, it was my turn when you woke up.” Tony said, sitting down in his own sleeping bag, and Bucky hummed thoughtfully.

“Well if we coexist, then if anything happens he can wake both of us up right?”

“I...” Tony thought about it, “I don’t know.”

“Well this is the perfect time to test it out.” Bucky said, somewhat excited, and the feeling felt familiar. Maybe he was futuristic too, back then? Or at least he was interested in the idea of the future. He liked testing out new ideas, and seeing new things.

“Not really.” Despite his words Tony laid down in his sleeping bag, close enough where either of them can reach the other if anything happened. “Goodnight Bucky.”

“Night.”

* * *

_'Bucky wake up.'_

_'Bucky.'_

_'James!'_

His eyes flew up and Bucky jolted up. Looking to his right, he saw Tony sleeping soundly. So who was...?

_'It’s Winter.'_

“Ha, I was right.” Bucky said breathlessly, excitedly, and could feel Winter roll his eyes.

_'Focus. Listen.' Bucky forced himself to calm down and listen around him. 'What do you hear?'_

“The animals aren’t here. No birds, no anything. Something spooked them.” Bucky said quietly and was glad that, even though he didn’t have all his memories, he retained his abilities as a sniper.

Wait, a sniper? Was he a sniper?

He’d have to ask Tony later.

“Is that a...helicopter?” Listening closer he could faintly hear the sound of a helicopter, and he bolted up.

_'Grab the child.'_

“Tony. Tony wake up.” He shook the teen awake, and he rose slowly.

“What’s up Bucky?” Tony yawned as he stood up, and then stilled. “Why is it so quiet?” Bucky was thankful that Tony knew what to look out for too and the teen titled his head as he listened to the helicopter.

“I got this.” Tony shuffled through his bag and produced a cell phone.

“Tony, what are you doing?”

“Trust me.” Bucky’s watched Tony’s hands move quickly across the screen, and then he stopped. “And now we-“

“Stop right there!” A voice called from the helicopter, and when Bucky spun around a red target appeared on his chest.

Is this how he dies? With a broken head and memories half gone?

“Don’t shoot!” Tony yells as he steps in front of him, and it’s aimed at his head. Not intentionally, but Tony’s so short that it overlaps to his head instead of Bucky’s chest.

“Step out of the way kid, don’t get involved. We’ll take you back to-“ Tony pressed something back on his phone before they could finish their sentence and the helicopter stuttered, then started falling.

He pressed the button again, and the pilot managed to get control over the helicopter again. There’s a moment of silence, and then Tony’s phone started ringing.

“Tony here.”

“That was you, wasn’t it?” There was no uncertainty in the man’s voice, and Tony snorted.

“Good job, your observation skills are up to quo.” Tony said sarcastically, and the person sighed.

“Why are you so adamant about running away? This isn’t another one of your jokes, is it? Did someone upset you? Because believe me, if it is, I have better things to do with my time if this is an overreaction.” Bucky raised an eyebrow, jokes? Overreaction? Tony’s eyes flared with anger and it showed through his voice.

“You think this is a _joke?_ Listen to me, I can’t even remember if I’ve ever done something like this before because that _witch_ did something to me! And if you think for a _second_ that I would joke about this then you’re worse than Maximoff.” Tony sneered and Bucky felt surprised, and he could feel the same feeling from Winter faintly. This kid had real explosive anger, something that neither of them thought he had. But, from what it sounds like, it’s justifiable. He just hopes that when Tony grows older that he’s slow to anger because if he explodes like that every time then anyone that gets him angry will wish they hadn’t.

“Wait...why do you sound younger?” The man sounded confused, and so was Bucky. Younger?

“You-You don’t know?” Tony was surprised, “Wait, what did they tell you?”

“You ran away and are in danger. Seeing that you’re with the Winter Soldier I’ll say they’re right.”

“They lied to you, which is frustrating. What's even _more_ frustrating is that you believed them Fury.”

“It’s not-“

“The next word coming out your mouth better not be ‘obvious’ because I refuse to believe I run away so much it’s normal. It didn’t click in your mind to think _why_ I ran away? It should be a concern, not a burden.” Tony's words were sharp, “I don’t know what kind of shit I used to put up with, but I’m not anymore. So whatever guilt trip you _thought_ you could put me through needs to end right now if you want to keep me on this phone.”

“Alright,” Fury appeases, “Rogers told me something happened between you and Maximoff that caused you to run off. He didn’t tell me anything about your...predicament. Can you fix it without coming back? Is Maximoff necessary?”

“No, give me half the chance and I can have myself back to normal. I don’t need Maximoff to do it.” There was silence as Fury thought about it, and the red target disappeared as the helicopter flew away.

“I’ll let you take care of it. SHIELD won’t be helping the Avengers in their attempt of finding you. That being said, we’re not going to try and stop them. You’re on your own.”

“Understood.” Tony hung up and turned towards Bucky, “Well that’s taken care of.”

“Who was that? SHIELD? The Avengers?” Bucky didn’t know any of those names, and Tony frowned slightly.

“Sit down, I’ll try to explain as much as I can.” They got comfortable, and Bucky sat in to listen. Both Bucky and Winter were curious, these groups seemed to be the treason why Tony ran away.

“SHEILD is...well, I don’t really know. I don’t remember.”

“You have memory problems too?”

“Kinda, but not like yours. I’ll explain when I get to the Avengers. So SHIELD is basically an organization that stands for Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. Nick Fury at first recruited six people to defend Earth under the guidance of SHEILD called the Avengers. But as time went on, the Avengers recruited others and SHIELD didn’t try to interfere. This is where it gets crazy, see I was apart of the original six Avengers. But one of the newest recruits had it out for me, and decided that my misdeeds could be undone by regressing my age. I don’t really understand her motivations, but I wasn’t going to stick around and try to figure it out. I ran, and older me knew someone else that used magic that could help me. He seemed prepared for this, like he knew the witch would end up doing something.”

“Wait, so you’re not actually a kid?” Bucky felt like he shouldn’t believe this, but he did. Hell, he has a second alter ego that’s also an assassin.

“Yes and no. Right now I’m a kid and all I have are my memories, I don’t remember anything I might’ve done while I was an adult. I don’t remember joining the Avengers, I don’t know what I did to that psycho to make her de-age me. The last thing I remember is hanging out with Rhodey all day, helping him study for an exam, and falling asleep promising not to leave his side. And now I’m here, running away from someone that uses _magic_ and all her friends that want to keep me like this and raise me to ‘be better’. Do you know how messed up that is? They weren’t happy with how I was so instead of trying to talk it out or help me change for the better, they _de-aged_ me so they could make me their perfect little genius-no flaws that they don’t like and completely compliant.” Tony tucked his knees under his chest and wrapped his arms around them. For the first time, Tony looked sad and hurt.

_‘What happened? Why is the child sad? Nothing happened.’_

_‘You idiot.’_ Bucky rolled his eyes internally, of course Tony’s sad. He’s in a hostile situation for something that’s being blamed on him, and he doesn’t even know what he did. The last thing he remembered was being with someone that cares for him, and when he woke up he was in a whole different world.

“Kid-“ Bucky was going to comfort him, but Tony sucked in a harsh breath and shook his head.

“No it’s okay. I’m fine.” Bucky frowned, what kind of kid doesn’t reach out for comfort when sad?

_‘The kind of one we need to make it through this mission.’_

_‘Just because he’s resilient doesn’t mean he can’t show emotions.’_ Bucky tried to relate it to something Winter would understand, _‘When you were ordered to assassinate a couple and their daughter caught sight of you...you had to kill her.’_ That was a kill that would haunt his dreams, but that wasn’t the point right now, _‘Who did she cry out to when she was scared?’_

_'The targets.’_ A pause. _‘Her parents.’_

_‘Exactly.’_ Leaving Winter to think, Bucky listens in to what Tony is saying.

“So even though I’m a kid right now, I’m suppose to be an adult.” Tony finished, and Bucky ran through what he was saying while he was having his conversation with Winter. Maximoff turned him into a kid for a reason Tony vaguely knew but didn't agree with, but he was originally an adult. They have to make their way to see a Stephen Strange, who was also a sorcerer, and could fix Tony.

“He can’t fix me?”

“No, your issue isn’t magic, science can help you.” Tony seemed proud, and Bucky smiled at it. “I made the promise to Winter and I’ll make it to you, when I get back to normal I’ll do everything in my power to help you. I won’t fail you. Even if it takes the rest of my life, I’m going to get those triggers out of your head and get you back into society. Not as Hydra’s assassin Winter or POW Bucky but as James Buchanan Barnes.” Tony said earnestly, and Bucky felt something inside of him click. He felt tears prick his eyes, but he smiled.

“Thanks Tony.”

“You deserve it.”

Even if Tony wasn’t someone that knew one of his victims and didn’t necessarily have the right to give his forgiveness and acceptance, it still made him feel a little lighter-like a burden being lifted bit by bit.

_Little did he know Tony did have the right._

* * *

 

_Bzzzzzz bzzzzz_

Tony groaned, reaching over to his phone to turn off his alarm. It’d be just like Rhodey to turn on his alarm without his permission, it wasn’t even exam day.

“Tony wake up.”

_That wasn’t Rhodey._

Tony lurched up and looked at blue eyes.

_Bucky._

“Jeez, you scared me.”

“You’re phone is still ringing.” Bucky motioned to it, and Tony picked it up drowsily.

“They really must not want me to pick up.” The name Wanda Maximoff was on the screen, and Tony snorted tiredly. Out of all the people, they want him to answer the witch? No thanks.

“Isn’t she the one who made you into this?” Bucky’s motioned to his body and Tony nodded.

“Yup.” Tony pressed the decline button and dropped back on the sleeping bag. If there wasn’t any coffee around then he’s going back to bed. Well, that was his plan but his phone started vibrating again.

“Ugh, do they even want me to come back?” Bucky cracked a smile at Tony’s moody teenage behavior, and figured if he was a teenager woken up by someone he didn’t like that he’d act like that too.

“That’s mildly better I guess.” Tony squinted at the screen as Clint Barton flashed appeared. He answered and when Bucky dove to the side Tony was confused, but then he saw a hologram screen appear in front of him and realized he was staring at all the Avengers.

“He really is a child.” Tony squinted at her and ran the files through his head before it clicked. Natasha Romanov, Black Widow.

“You didn’t believe your witch? That’s a surprise, I was under the assumption she had all of you twirled around her finger.” Tony settled into the carefree unconcerned attitude, it comes off as rude and arrogant Rhodey told him and that’s what he needs to get under their skin.

“Tony there’s no need for names, we’re just concerned for you.” Rogers said in a disappointed mother tone, and Tony rolled his eyes.

“Give me a break, if you were really concerned for me then why would you allow Maximoff to take this so far?”

“What?” Steve looked confused, or maybe acted so Tony didn’t really remember him to know his tellings, and Tony gave him a deadpan stare.

“Her hate for me, it’s not something new. This type of hate is built up over the years, and it’s obvious. You can’t tell me you didn’t see it.”

“You marked a horrific time in her childhood, so when she joined the Avengers she was scared and wary of you.” Tony honestly couldn’t believe Steve was defending her. Wasn’t he suppose to be the golden hearted Captain America that always stood up to bullies, no matter the odds?

“Yeah? Well now _she’s_ the monster that came to life for me.” Tony stared directly at Maximoff when he said this, and she didn’t have any reaction. But the moment Steve turns to look at her, she’s willing tears to appear at the corners of her eyes and her face falls.

“Look, you upset Wanda.”

“Good.”

“Tony, she’s just a kid!” Tony’s eyes widened at that before rapidly darkening and off to the side Bucky almost felt bad for the Avengers for the tongue lashing they’re about to get from Tony.

Almost. 

“ _She’s_ just a kid?! Something must’ve happened to your brain while you were in the ice because if you haven’t noticed, _I’m_ just a kid! I was in college with my best friend, calling my mom once a week and ignoring my dad everyday!” Before they could say anything Tony continues, “Let’s say she was a kid. That _doesn’t_ excuse her behavior! If a kid does something wrong, the parent doesn’t just say ‘oh well your just a child what can I do’ and let them keep doing it! They sit them down, tell them what they did wrong and _why_ it’s wrong and then some parents punish their kids. You know, I had a suspicion and talking to you guys just confirmed it. You treat me like a child, the me of this time. You tell me until your face turns blue that she’s just a kid, but then at the end of the day I’m the only one being treated as such.” There was a long moment of tense silence, just Steve and Tony staring at each other and in that moment he truly understood how it came to be this way. Tony felt like this wasn’t the first time he had a stare down with Steve, and he wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out to be true. They’re both natural leaders, but he could see himself stepping down if it was for the greater good. That being said, he wouldn’t completely obediently follow Steve. If he thought he had a better plan, then he’d voice it loudly and challenge their leader in front of everyone else. To Tony that wasn’t a crime, it allowed others to speak their mind too and stop the sheep mentality, but to Steve, who had been in military, it must've been a high level of disrespect. So when Steve stopped listening to him, the Tony of this time must’ve started doing things on his own and that’s where things went downhill.

“I-I’m going to leave the room. It hurts to hear this verbal harassment.” Wanda wrapped her arms around herself and while Steve was immediately concerned, Tony wasn’t.

“Aww did I hurt your _feelings?”_ Tony cooed mockingly, and then embedded scathing sarcasm in his voice, “If it’s _that_ easy to make you upset, it’s a _wonder_ that you survived as long as you did with Hydra.” Maximoff glared at him and Tony glared right back. If she thought it was that easy to scare him, then she obviously didn’t know who his father was.

“Cmon Wanda, let’s get you out of here. I’ll deal with Tony.” Steve ushered her out, and Tony scoffed. _Deal_ with him? He really was a burden to these guys.

“Stark, just make this easier on all of us and come back. We’ll convince Wanda to turn you back.” Natasha tried to convince him, and Tony raised his eyebrow.

“How much of a pushover was I? Because if you thought that’s all it would take to get me to come back, you’re sorely mistaken.” Natasha went to say something else, but the door opened and Steve came through.

“We didn’t want to do this but if you don’t come back in three days, we’ll have to talk to the Colonel.” Steve said once he appeared in front of the camera and Tony sneered at him.

“You can stick your condescending tone up your ass Cap, I don’t know who you’re talking about. Your pet witch wiped my mind, remember?

“He means Rhodes, Tony.” Clint said, and Tony didn’t allow his surprise show through.

“You know what Barton? I heard that you got brainwashed in New York by some god or whatever, but what bugs me is that you went through all that and can still sit by and let Maximoff do this to people without saying a _word."_ Tony saw Clint flinch back at those words, and hung up before any of them got a chance to say anything.

“Stark?” Tony spun around and looked at Bucky who was staring at him wide-eyed and internally cursed at Romanov.

“Yup, that’s my last name.” Tony decided to play it cool, act like he wasn’t concerned in the slightest.

“You didn’t tell me you were a Stark.”

“I didn’t think it was important.”

“You lied to Winter.”

“Not really, I said my name was Tony Edward. That’s not necessarily a lie. My full name is Anthony Edward Stark, but the name I use is Tony.”

“And Edward?”

“I was in an unknown place, I couldn’t use Stark. Do you know what some people would do to grab a young, malleable, Tony Stark?”

“You came to Winter.”

“I didn’t know if he had a hit list on me or something! I was going to tell you guys eventually.”

“Were you?” Bucky stared at Tony, and he sighed.

“I’m sorry, I really am. I was going to wait until we got the triggers out to tell you, but that was stupid of me.” Tony looked genuinely apologetic, and Bucky rolled his eyes fondly has he walked up to the teen and ruffled his hair.

“It’s fine punk, it’s not that big of a deal.” Tony smiled up at him, relieved, and realizes the irrefutable truth.

“Bucky, that person you saw on the train was Steve. Steve Rogers, Captain America.” Bucky’s eyes widen as he takes in his words.

_Small. His best friend. Reckless. Brave. Always getting into fights. Always by his side._

_‘Together until the end of the line, right Buck?’_

_‘Of course Stevie.’_

“He’s my-“ Tony looked away, biting the inside of his cheek, as if knowing what was coming. Bucky felt confused for a moment, shouldn’t Tony be happy he knows who his best friend was? But then again...

_‘She’s just a kid Tony.’_

_‘Tony there’s no need for names.’_

_‘At the end of the day, you guys treated me like I was the child.’_

_‘How much of a pushover was I?’_

His best friend was one of Tony’s tormentors.

“You think I’m going to leave you, for him.” Bucky said with dawning horror, and Tony turned around to walk to a nearby log.

“Who wouldn’t? He’s Captain America, you’re best friend, and I’m just...me.” Tony shrugs as he sits down on the log, sullen and resigned.

_‘Have I ever suggested anything like that?’_

_‘No, this is deeply embedded into his mentality.’_ Winter responded, sounding slightly troubled. Probably because he didn’t know what was making Tony react this way, Winter didn’t seem to like not knowing why people react the way they do.

_‘By who?’_ Neither Bucky nor Winter remembered, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t guess.

_‘Rogers?’_

_‘No, Stevie was acting like an ass but this goes deeper. Not to mention, Tony doesn’t have memories of Stevie acting like that aside from the interaction just now.’_

_‘One of his parents.’_

_‘Howard.’_ It made sense, Tony clearly had an aversion to him and Howard himself didn’t seem capable of taking care of kids. Or that he even wanted kids.

“I don’t know what Howard said to make you think like that,” At his father’s name Tony’s head snapped up, and it confirmed their suspicion, “but he was wrong. Nobody is better than anyone else, or worth more. Right now, Stevie isn’t acting like how I remember him. He’s actin’ like a bully, and until I get better I don’t want him clouding my judgement. If I went to Stevie, I feel like he’d give me only his side, and slander the other side to make them look evil.”

“I’m bias too.” Tony muttered, and Bucky sat besides him.

“Yeah, but with good reason. Maximoff is manipulative, that’s obvious, and judging by your stature you didn’t lie about her powers. Well, maybe you’re just naturally short.” Tony glared at his short comment before letting out a huff of laughter, and that’s what Bucky wanted. “It’s obvious that they don’t have your best interest in mind, and you may be bias but I'm not gonna abandon you. Even if Stevie is the only tie to my past, it’d be messed up for me to abandon you just for that.”

“You sound like Rhodey,” Tony smiles, and then it falls, “but it seems like even he changed sides. He’s obviously friends with them, if they can just call him up, but but even if they get him to try and convince me to come back, I won’t.”

“I don’t think they’re friends with him, it sounded more like a...”

_‘Like a threat.’_

_‘Yeah.’_

“Like they’d use him against you.”

“They threatened me with him?” Tony quickly made the connection, “They gave me three days, and if I don’t come they’ll kidnap Rhodey.”

“Yeah.” That type of threat was hard to ignore, Winter acutely knew because he used to use it sometimes, and considering Rhodey was Tony’s best friend and seemingly the only person that cared for teen Tony at the time the Avengers weren’t messing around.

“FRIDAY, shut everything down no internet, no hot water, nothing. If they try to go into the armory, lab or garage tranquilize them. If they leave don’t let them back in, we don't want them to have a base. Whatever you have to do, don’t give them any resources to do _anything._ Since I made their weapons, shut them off. Widow Bites won’t work, Barton’s arrows explode, Rogers’s and Maximoff’s suits don’t protect or fit them anymore, nothing I made is used by them. Let them know who they messed with when threatening _my_ Rhodey.”

“With pleasure boss.”

Well, it seems like Tony wasn’t messing around either.

* * *

_Bzzzzz bzzzzz_  

Rhodey turned over and looked at his phone.

_Tony Stank._

Rhodey smirked at the name and swiped to answer. He hadn’t talked to Tony in a while, they were both too busy but that wasn’t really an excuse. He had taken the week off, and Tony was suppose to meet him at the Malibu house so they could catch up and hang out for the week.

“Hey what’s up Tony?”

“Rhodey?” Rhodey eyes widen because _he recognized that voice and_ _it’s not suppose to sound like that anymore._

“Tones?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” There was a sigh of relief on the other side, “I’m happy you picked up.” A request to video chat, which he accepted. The screen zoomed out into the open space in front of him, courtesy of the Stark phone, and he saw him.

A young Tony Stark.

“Dude.”

“I know but-“

“Maximoff?”

“Yeah! How’d you know?”

“She’s the only out out of that circus group that can use magic and she had it out for you since she was born.” Tony laughed, and Rhodey smiled at him fondly. It was a blast from the past but if Rhodey was right this was college Tony and around that time Rhodey was his first true friend, so this probably felt more reliving to Tony than it did to him.

“Yeah well listen Rhodey, the Avengers are after you.”

“Excuse me?”

“They’re going to kidnap you to use against me, they want me to come back to them willingly. They’ve given me a three day grace period to go back to them but that also means you have three days to get to the Malibu house, I’ll explain everything there. Can you get there within 2 days to be safe?”

“I’ll be there by tonight, we had planned on taking the week off to meet each other there and catch up.”

“Okay, that’s good.” Rhodey knew those words had a double meaning, he was happy that Rhodey was about to be in a safe area but he was also happy that they still stayed in touch.

“Once you get there, let FRIDAY know and she’ll put everything on high alert. Anyone that’s not allowed in will be going straight to the hospital.” That just confirmed his suspicion about this being college Tony. Since he was his first friend, Tony back then was incredibly protective of Rhodey. Even now adult Tony is, but he’s learned to dial it back some. This Tony, though, was willing to hack into any system and completely ruin anybody that crosses Rhodey.

Rhodey would know, he remembered having to sit Tony down and explain that getting someone kicked out of college and putting them in debt was not the way to get revenge.

“Thanks Tony, but you gave me some cool toys to defend myself with.”

“Good, I’m glad. But I’m still putting the place under lock and key.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

“I’ll see you in Malibu Rhodey.”

“See ya Tony.” Rhodey hung up leaned back in his seat. He didn’t know what was in store for him, but as long as Tony is okay they’d both be fine.

* * *

 

_Mission: Eliminate Howard Stark, no witnesses._

_Perimeters: Accepted_

_‘Sergeant Barnes?’_

_Mission: Successful_

_‘Howard...’_

_Casualties: Maria Stark, a witness that was eliminated._

Bucky’s eyes flew open as he breathed heavily. Looking off to the side, he could see Tony sleeping peacefully and felt dread pool in his stomach.

_He killed Tony’s parents._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Comments keep me motivated so don't be shy to share your thoughts!


	3. Separation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Man the Avengers can't leave anybody alone can they?

_‘You brat! Get back here!’ Tony was running down a hall, his father’s voice booming behind him. He was young, maybe seven, but all he knew was that he couldn’t stop running._

_‘Your mother can’t save you now!’ Tony skidded around the corner and tripped on something. Looking behind him to see what tripped him, he felt his heart drop._

_It was his mother’s corpse._

_‘M-Mom...?’ Tony let out a wet gasp as he crawled over to her. The red of her blood seemed brighter than anything else around him, and he couldn’t remember when his father stopped yelling after him._

_‘What happened? Who did this...?’_

_‘Who do you think?’ Tony whirled around and saw Howard. But he was dead too, head caved in, and his corpse was talking to him. The blood on him too seemed brighter than it should be, but Tony was too busy freaking out to notice._

_‘Was it you?’ Tony stood up slowly, standing in front of his mother’s body almost protectively._

_‘That is what you’d think, wouldn’t it?’ Howard-or his corpse-seemed almost amused by this assumption, and in his hand appear a canister. He took a swing of it, before smirking at Tony._

_‘Obviously that’s what I’d think, most of my childhood experience was marked by the stench of alcohol on your breath.’ Tony was older now, around college years, and he had more attitude, sneering at Howard._

_‘Maybe so, but this time it wasn’t me.’ Tony gritted his teeth and glared._

_‘Are you sure? Because if I lift up my mom’s shirt I’ll see bruises on her, and if I lift up my own my ribs will be bruised. It wouldn’t be too crazy to think we got in an argument, you took a swing of your beer, and went drunk driving.’_

_‘You want to know who killed us? He’s right behind you.’ Tony whirled around and got slammed into the wall, a hand holding him up by the neck._

_A metal one._

_‘B-Bucky?’ Tony grasped the arm holding him up, already feeling the sting of no oxygen in his lungs, and the person in question looked at him emotionlessly._

_‘Winter?’ No response. ‘Asset.’ There was a momentary tightening of his hand around Tony’s neck, before it relaxed._

_‘That’s right Tony, the person in front of you killed your poor mother.’ Howard sneered from behind the Asset, and Tony coughed as he clawed at the arm slowly depriving him of oxygen._

_‘You’re lying, Bucky would’ve told me. Winter would’ve told me.’_

_‘Are you sure about that?’ He wasn’t, Tony realized, and that was the scariest thing of all. Bucky didn’t remember some of the kills and while Winter did, would he tell him if he thought it would jeopardize the mission?_

_‘No, this is a dream. I won’t let you change the way I think about them! They’re both good people, no matter what you say!’ He got slammed into the wall again and felt pain spike through his head._

_‘Does this feel like a dream to you?’ Tony used Bucky holding his body weight to his advantage, lifting his feet up and kicking him straight in the stomach._

_As the Asset stumbled back, Tony fell to the floor with nothing supporting him and rolled to the side. Standing up, he saw the Asset straightening up again and stumbled back before bumping into something again._

_‘It’s all your fault your fault his fault fault fault-‘ There were voices behind him, and Tony cringed._

_‘Don’t turn around, don’t turn-“ Despite his words, Tony turned around slowly and saw four corpses with their mouths opened wide and blood streaming out of it._

_Ana, Jarvis, Maria, and Howard._

_‘Who can you really believe?’ They all chanted, and Tony spun around again in time to see the Asset basically on top of him with a knife in hand._

_He opened his mouth to scream-he’s going to die just like mom did-when a voice cut through._

“Tony!” He jolted awake and saw danger. 

“Get back!” The Asset jumped back, barely dodging Tony’s swipe at him, and Tony rolled and grabbed his bag, slinging over his shoulder. 

“Tony, calm down it’s me Bu-“

“Don’t come any closer!” Tony cut off the Asset and watched as he didn’t heed his warning, advancing on him. 

Breathing erratic, Tony reached behind him and threw the disc at the Asset’s arm. It landed perfectly, but he wasn’t going to wait around to see what would happen and he booked it into the forest. 

He neared a town and debated going into it. One one hand, it was a public place and he’d have greater chance of blending in but on the other if the Asset followed him in there....

There could be a massacre. 

Tony turned around and headed back into the woods at a slower pace to make less noise, he wouldn’t be the cause of these villagers deaths. 

He found a little stream while walking and splashed his face with the cold water to get him to wake up fully. 

_He ran away from Bucky._

“Damn it.” Tony cursed as looked around. The nightmare caused him to freak out on Bucky and now he doesn’t know where he is. 

“Bucky?” Tony called out, and there was no response. “He has super hearing, if I was near him then he would’ve heard me.” Biting his lip, he thought about what he should do next. Stay near the stream and hope Bucky knew that Tony knew basic survival skills when lost, or try to retrace his steps in the forest and hope not to get lost? 

“Well, Winter’s with him. I’m sure he knows how to track someone, hopefully.”

Tony looked around and sighed, today would be a long day. 

* * *

“Don’t come any closer!”

‘ _Listen to the child, he’s obviously not in the right mindset.’_

_‘But I can help him.’_ Bucky didn’t listen to Winter or Tony and took a step closer. Something was thrown at him and he felt his metal arm go limp. 

_‘What the hell?’_

_‘I warned you.’_

_‘Thanks for your input Winter.’_  Bucky rolled his eyes and looked at his limp arm, seeing a small disc attached to it. Yanking it off, he rolled his shoulders and swung his arm to make sure it worked. When he looked up, Tony was gone. 

In his place, was a notebook. 

_‘It belongs to the child.’_

_‘A diary?’_

_‘More of a journal, he writes down tasks and how things are going. I only saw it once.’_

Bucky walked over to it and picked it up. He flipped through a few pages before pocketing it, if he couldn’t find Tony this might help him. 

_‘Should we let Tony run it out?’_

_‘Look at the pages first, then find the child. We should take advantage of him not being here to see his motivations.’_

_‘He’s not going to betray us.’_

_‘It doesn’t hurt to be sure.’_ Bucky snorted, but sat down on a log and took out the notebook. 

_‘Fine.’_ He flipped through the first few pages, he had Winter’s memories on that so he didn’t need to read it, and started reading. 

_**Bucky/Winter’s Prosthetic** _

   _I hate to say anything good about Hydra, but the prosthetic is advanced and kinda complex. Nothing I can’t handle, but I’m going to have to get inside of it to clean it out and make my own changes. Maybe when I get better, I’ll make him a whole new prosthetic. Either way, some of the changes I need to make soon. I found a couple of small discs on a SHEILD agent and they seem to be intended for Winter, or the Asset at least. That being said, I’m going to have to make his prosthetic immune to that shock. If SHIELD has it, the Avengers might have it too. I’ll dismantle one of the discs to see the inside of it and how it works, but all of this is theoretical until I actually see the arm._

Below were some drawings of the prosthetic and the discs, and Bucky observed them thoughtfully. 

_‘If he was trying to betray us, would he be trying to fix a weakness?’_  Winter didn’t have a response, so Bucky continued on. 

_**Nightmares** _

   _Oh boy. I really do hate that witch bitch. Apparently, she’s been giving older me nightmares for quite some time and none of the Avengers listened to me when I spoke up about it. At this point, I’m not surprised her hate for me flew under the radar if they’re that hardheaded. Or maybe they just didn’t care because it was happening to me. Anyway, these nightmare spells are still with me. Without my memories I’m not sure what’s real in the memories and what’s fake, but if most of what’s being shown is real then I wonder why older me stood with these guys so much. That’s a lie, I know why he stood with them. The Avengers were his chance at helping the world on a bigger scale, and he would endure any treatment if it meant he was apart of that. It’s the same reason why we endured Howard’s treatment and made weapons for him, we wanted to use SI to make better things aside from weapons. Our side projects._ _They’re always red, no matter what the dream is there’s always some type of red. It’s either brighter or darker than everything around me, there’s no in between. To signify Maximoff, I’m assuming. I don’t know how I dealt with these nightmares when I was older, but they’re really taxing._

_**Progress** _

  _Bucky woke up, it seems like I’ll be having him as a companion most of the time. Him and Winter seem to work well, which is good, but it may just because they’re in a survival environment. When they actually get a chance to relax and go into therapy I don’t know if this peace will last. Well, I’ll be there for both of them to help hash things out._ _We’re almost at a village, we’ll be going to it in the morning tomorrow. The nightmares are getting more frequent, but I don’t it will interfere with anything. They’re mostly memories, nothing that’s in it is front of me now. Once we get to the village, I’ll check in with Rhodey again and ask him some questions. Then, a couple town visits later, we’ll be at a Stark hanger where we can fly the rest of the way to New York. All my cards are laid out on the table, and I hope it pays off._

‘ _Did The Scarlet Witch make him see us?’_

_‘Scarlet Witch? Where’d that come from?’_

_‘I remember her. From Hydra. I only met her once.’_

_‘Really?’_

_‘Yes, she was horrendous. I never saw someone so willing to hurt, she did so without any prompting from the handlers.’_

_‘And she’s been harassing Tony for so long...’_ Bucky closed the notebook and looked around, before cursing loudly in Russian. It was afternoon, he allowed too much time to past. 

“I have to find him.” Bucky stood up and began to walk in the direction that Tony ran off. He knew some of the signs for tracking, like snapped branches, but he was rusty and couldn’t track Tony far. 

_‘Let me.’_  The process of switching control was a weird experience, he felt like he was being pushed back and viewing something from a screen. It was a surreal, out of body experience. 

Winter began tracking Tony again, more skilled at it then his counterpart, and reached a village where he seemed to have stopped. Looking down at the town, he could tell Tony didn’t head that way so he turned around and scanned the woods for more tracking signs. In the end, he didn’t have to. 

**“Bucky!”** Winter took off in that direction because it wasn’t Tony just calling out to him it, his voice was full of fear. 

* * *

Tony finally finished the camp, and he was pretty proud of himself. For someone who only went camping one time, he did pretty good. A small fire had been started, he set up his sleeping bag and he was cleansing the water the best in could. There was a rustle from the forest and Tony turned, not really tense because it was either an animal or Bucky. 

When Romanov came up, he realized his mistake. 

_The fire will draw others to his location, and give away his position._  

“Romanov, fancy seeing you here.” Tony greeted her, backing up to the stream, and she nodded to the fire. 

“You should really learn how to manage that.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Tony, without taking his eyes off of her, reached for his bag and slowly put the straps on both shoulders. He didn’t want to lose the bag, it was important, but he didn’t want it to be a liability in this soon-to-be-fight. 

“You’re surrounded, don’t try to run.”

“Is the witch here?”

“We decided to leave Maximoff back at the compound so she’s ready to turn you back.”

“Yeah that might’ve been the plan at first, but the moment you get back she’ll try to convince you how it’s better to keep me like this.” Tony watched Romanov’s face closely and watched laughed in disbelief, “You knew, and you still want to take me back.” 

“It’s for everyone’s benefit. If someone gets their hands on a younger Tony Stark, they could get you to do terrible things.”

“Don’t you think I  _know_  that? But here’s the thing because in my mind,” Tony reached for the water cup above the fire, “that includes you too.” He threw the water at her and she reflexively tried to throw up her arms to shield her face, only to be burned by the water. 

“Smart kid.” Natasha muttered, ignoring the pain in her arms and looked up to see Tony running away. “Steve he’s coming your way.”

“Got him.” Steve responded in his bracelet communicator and stepped in front of Tony, ready to grab him. Tony slid in between his legs and then turned around mid slid, kicking at the back of Steve’s knees. It was a weak spot for anybody, even a super soldier, and Rogers stumbled before falling on his knees. 

Tony was about to get up, but then somebody grabbed his ankle. Looking in front of Steve, he saw Natasha. 

“You’re not getting away now.” Tony’s eyes darted to Steve and saw he was about to get up. 

“That’s where you’re wrong.” Tony reached behind him into his bag and-

_Bang!_

Natasha stumbled back and let loose multiple swear words as she clutched her leg. 

“Natasha!” Steve stood up quickly and went straight to her to check on her. 

“I’m fine.” Natasha hissed out through clenched teeth, and Steve turned towards Tony with a thunderous expression on his face. 

“You shot her!” Steve advanced on Tony faster than he could blink and knocked the gun out of his hands. 

Steve grabbed him roughly and shoved him to the floor before putting his knee on Tony’s back, and Tony couldn’t escape. It was then he realized that Steve really had been pulling his punches in hopes of not hurting him. 

Well, _that_ flew right out the window. 

“You’re coming with us. _Now._ ” Steve was obviously angry, and he yanked Tony up before dragging him to a secluded area and throwing him harshly. Tony was about to get up when Clint dropped down from the trees and Vision floated over with him. 

“Where’s Wilson?” He was the only one missing aside from Maximoff, and Tony needed to know his odds before he started up a plan. 

“Mr. Wilson stood with Ms. Maximoff to ensure she stays at the compound.” Vision stated calmly, and Clint stormed over to Tony and lifted him up by his collar. 

“You shot Nat.” Clint seemed even more livid than Steve, and Tony scoffed. He wasn’t afraid of Barton, Tony knew he wouldn’t do anything to him, not while he was a child. Clint had kids and he had experience with child abuse, so it would kill him to lay a hand on a child unnecessarily. 

“Don’t act angry. You know if either of you were in that situation you would’ve done the same. Perhaps even worse.” Tony scrutinized, and Clint glared at him one more time before dropping him. 

“He’s right.” Natasha came limping over as she said it, and Tony looked at Steve critically before getting an idea. 

“Hey, you got the bullet? I’d love to put it on a necklace!” Tony smiled brightly and watched as Steve’s neck started turning red, a vein popping up. 

“Tony, I’m really trying to stay calm but you’re becoming even more troublesome than you usually are.” 

“Oh _really?_  I'm so sorry, I’m just trying to make sure I’m not kidnapped by a circus group.” Tony watched as the red spread to Steve’s face and mentally thanked Rhodey for that insult. 

“Steve, calm down. He wants this.” Natasha put a hand in Steve’s arm, and Tony shrugged. 

“Yeah, it’s pretty funny seeing you turn all red. Like a tomato.” Tony snickered, and watched Steve sigh. 

“You’ve left us no choice, we didn’t want to do this because you told us before how much you hate it but you’re being too difficult.”

“What are you going to do?” He watched, morbidly curious, as Clint reached into his bag and produces two things out of it. 

_No._

“No don’t. Don’t put that on me.” Tony scrambled back and Vision grabbed him and handed him to Steve. 

“I’m sorry young sir, but it’s necessary.” Tony’s eyes widened momentarily at Vision’s words, because that’s almost what Jarvis used to sound like, before his attention snapped to Natasha, who was grabbing the objects. 

**“Bucky!”**

* * *

“Tony!” Winter called out, and saw a stream. 

_‘He’s smart, you’ll find him by the stream. Keep going.’_ Bucky whispered in his mind, and Winter took off. He followed the stream though the woods and found a little camp destroyed. Multiple footprints were scattered about, and drag marks heading in the woods. 

_‘Someone found him. Multiple people.’_  Winter could hear sounds of struggling along with muffled yelling and followed the noise quickly and silently. 

_‘Is that...Steve?’_ Bucky sounded shocked, but all Winter cared about was the child being restrained by the captain. Tony was thrashing around in Captain America’s grip and yelling against the hand muffling him.

“Tony stop!” The Captain harshly whispered and Widow came up to them with handcuffs and duct tape. 

“Hold him still.” The Captain tightened his grip and Tony hissed out in pain. With his hands exposed, Widow quickly handcuffed the child. 

“Okay on the count of three, move your hand.” Widow counted and then the Captain moved his hand, and that’s when Tony yelled out again. 

“Winter! Buc-!” Duct tape sealed the rest of the words, and it spurred Winter into action. He stepped out from the shadows, and spoke. 

“Let go of the child.” Winter said lowly and they stared at each other for a long time, saying nothing, and Bucky felt there was a large gap between him and Steve. He felt like it was a lifetime ago when it was him and Steve standing side by side, facing off against bullies. Now it’s him and Winter, trying to save someone from someone who was meant to be doing the saving. 

“Bucky?” Widow took a few steps away from him to stand by Captain, he noted a limp in her walk and wondered where that came from, but he was happy she feared him. She  _should_  fear him, she was obviously one of the smart ones. Winter bared his teeth at her in form of a smile and saw Tony’s eyes crinkle, obviously smiling. The smile was quickly lost when Steve yanked him closer. 

“Let go of the child.” Winter warns again, and the Captain looks down at Tony. 

“Tony?” He looks up to Winter, “I don’t know what he told you, but Bucky it’s most likely not true.” Steve said, so convinced he was right and it'd be that easy to draw Bucky to his side. 

“I’ll ask you one more time, and then none. Your spider should know how lucky you are to get a warning, ask her. _Let go of the child.”_

Silence, and then both Winter and Tony moved at the same time. 

Steve shoved Tony to Natasha in order to face Winter head on and, using the momentum of the push, Tony swiped at the Widow’s feet. She fell and Tony took a clip from her hair, working on undoing the handcuffs. 

Winter saw Tony take out the Widow from his peripheral and worked on keeping the Captain distracted until Tony had his hands free. 

“Bucky, don’t make me do this.” Steve pleaded, and Winter rolled his eyes while cleanly dodging Steve’s thrown fist. 

“I’m not Bucky.”

“I’m sorry, but you’ve left me no choice.” Here, Steve stopped pulling his punches and Winter had to concentrate in order to avoid actually getting hurt. 

Tony undid his handcuffed and dove to the left, narrowly avoiding getting grabbed again by Romanov. 

“Wow, you’re really adamant on getting me huh?” Tony dodges another grab, and Natasha glares. 

“You could’ve this easy on all of us, at least we don’t have grab Rhodes.”

“Jokes on you, you’re not getting me.” Even without her Widow Bites, Romanov was a formidable opponent. Unfortunately for her, Tony had memorized her battle style and knew almost all the moves she could pull. 

She faked going left and went right instead, but Tony was prepared for that. He went left and rolled under her, popping back up and shoving her forward. She stumbled before retaining her balance, but that was all Tony needed to grab her hand and handcuff her to a tree. 

“That should keep you busy for a minute.” Tony smiled breathlessly, that fight had taken more out of him then he had hoped, and looked over at Winter and Rogers. 

Tony frowned, tilting his head. It was strange, Rogers wasn’t fighting like he normally did. It almost looked like...

_He was shepherding Winter._

Looking around wildly, he saw him. Clint. He was up in a tree, an arrow knocked, and Tony rushed forward. 

“Winter watch out for the-!!” 

_Thunk!_

“W-Winter...?”

“Tony!” 

* * *

_“Young sir!”_

“Tony!” 

_“Why would you do that? It’s my job to protect you.”_

“You’re suppose to be a genius! I could’ve taken the hit better than you did!” 

_“Stay awake Anthony, the ambulance is going to arrive soon!”_

“Wake up!” 

_“Hey, you actually called me by name this time. All it took was me getting shot...”_

“Aw, you do care. Ha, maybe I’ll thank Clint for this one...”

_“I’m sorry...”  A gasp of pain and eyes shutting._

_**“No! Tony!”  Two voices in sync, one from the past and one from the present.** _

* * *

“Winter watch out for the-!” 

_Thunk!_

“W-Winter...?” He shoved Steve away with all his force and turned around to Tony. 

He was staring at Winter wide-eyed as he paled rapidly. 

“Tony!” Winter caught Tony as he fell, and they went down together. 

“Oh jeez dude that wasn’t meant for him. Is he okay?” Clint dropped from the tree and began to walk towards Winter, but stopped once Winter whipped out a knife. 

“You stay the hell away from us.” Winter snarled, holding Tony closer to him. 

“Bucky, please understand we were just trying to help you two!” Steve said, holding his hands up as he approached the two. Winter listened to Tony’s labored breathing and closed his eyes. 

_‘I’m never going to forgive him, or them.’_  Winter was seething, and Bucky knew it. 

_‘...I know.’_  Bucky was angry too, of course he was because that was Tony and he was also a _kid,_ but he couldn’t help but feel sadness at the fact that he’s about to lose his best friend. 

Perhaps forever. 

“Stay away from us, just leave now.” Winter rumbled, angry, and he hoped that they leaved. He was at a disadvantage, his partner was hurt and Winter didn’t want to jostle him, and Widow knew it. 

“Make this easier on Tony, you don’t want to hurt him even more. We can get him the help he needs. We care for him too.”

“No, you don’t. You might’ve at first, but it slowly deteriorated to this.” Winter motioned to them, and then Tony. “If you truly believe you cared for him, you would leave. _Now.”_  There was another tense moment of silence, and Steve said what he thought what was a compromise. 

“We’ll go talk about it.” Winter’s lip thinned but he nodded, and the group went over to the stream that was far enough where Winter couldn’t hear them. Looking around Winter saw that they left nobody to watch them, probably because they thought Winter wouldn’t risk anything  with Tony injured. 

“Go.” Tony hissed out through his teeth and Winter faded to Bucky. 

“What? You’re injured.” Bucky whispered back and Tony was short on patience, he was  _bleeding_  and _in pain._ He didn’t have time for indecision. 

“Bucky, if you don’t start moving you better give the control back to Winter because I am not going back to them. They’re not changing me back, and this time they’ll make sure I can’t leave. Maximoff can turn people into  _puppets_ , brainless and following her every command.” Tony gripped his shirt and Bucky swallowed before nodding. 

Bucky picked Tony up carefully, and Tony swore softly before nodding to him through the pain. Bucky started jogging and he felt guiltier and guiltier every time Tony hissed in pain. 

“What the-? Natasha, they’re gone!” Bucky heard Clint yell after a minute of him jogging and he cringe at what he was about to have to do. 

“I’m sorry Tony.” Bucky whispered down and the genius nodded, already knowing what was coming, and buried his face into his chest to keep himself from making too much noise. 

Bucky started running, and internally cursed Steve out for making him have to do this. 

He ran quickly, using his super soldier speed, in hopes of being able to stop soon and get Tony help. Bucky jumped over the stream and ran deeper into the woods, stopping after 5 minutes. He set Tony down on the ground carefully and realized with horror he looked worse. 

Tony was paler, short gasps of pain coming out of his mouth, and he was bleeding more profusely. 

“Damn it.” Bucky cursed, and tried to remember his first aid classes in the military to no avail. 

_‘Winter?’_

_‘I...I never had to heal someone. Only kill.’_ Winter seemed disturbed at this, the realization he never helped someone, and Bucky focused back on Tony. 

“Leave.” Tony hissed through clenched teeth, and Bucky was confused. 

“What?”

“Run. They’ll catch up eventually, and you can’t fend all of them off. I’ll make my way back to you, go to Malibu. I put a map in your bag in case this ever happened.” 

“No-no way! I can’t leave you!” Bucky was horrified at even the thought, and Tony gritted his teeth. 

“If they get a hold of you, they’ll try to have Maximoff _‘fix'_  you. You know what that means? Steve wants his Barnes back, and Maximoff will make sure Steve gets what he wants. You’ll be trapped in your own mind while your body plays pretend with Steve, not able to do anything. Do you want that?” 

‘ _We can’t afford for that to happen.’_

_‘But we can’t leave him!’_

_‘He’s smart.’_

_‘He’s also a child!’_ Bucky refuted, he couldn’t believe he was having this argument right now, and Tony smiled at him softly. 

“I’ll be alright, both you and Winter know that. But if you obviously won’t leave me by myself so I’m going to need Winter to come out, okay?” Tony talked to him softly, like he was the child, but before Bucky could utter a word Winter took control. 

“You’ll meet us in Malibu?” Winter couldn’t help but ask, the child had grown on him, and Tony nodded the best he could in pain. 

“I promise. Give me three days after you get to Malibu to arrive, and if I don’t then you know something is wrong. Okay?” Winter nodded, once the child was taken it would take Winter three days to get to the house and three more days for Tony to arrive. That gave Tony six days to escape.

“Okay.” Winter stood up and Tony smiled at him, but it turned into a grimace as he clutched his side. “Are you-“

“I’m fine, go. It won’t take long for one of them to arrive, oh!” Tony called him back once Winter started to move, “When you get there, make sure everything is on lockdown.”

“Why?”

“They might get Maximoff to search my brain in hopes of knowing where you’re going.” Tony sounded disgusted that he might give away Winter’s position, even if it was out of his control, “If they get a hold of that information they might try to come for you, but the lockdown will ensure they won’t.”

“Can’t Maximoff’s magic shut it down?”

“No, the lockdown is magic proof. Older me made sure of it, and take that.” Tony motioned to his bag, which had been thrown to the side, and Winter picked it up. “It has a flash drive in it. Give it to Rhodey.” 

“Thank you.” This came from both Bucky and Winter, and Tony smiled. 

“Don’t worry, this isn’t the last you see of me. I still have to fulfill my promise to you two.” Winter picked up on feet running over to where they were and, with one last nod, he disappeared into the trees. 

Tony laid his head back on the ground and felt tears well up in his eyes. Despite all his bravo in front of the duo, Tony was scared. He was going back to the witch, someone who worked outside the realm of logic and science, with nobody at his side. 

He promised Winter and Bucky that he’d be back with them in three days time, but in all honesty...

Tony didn’t know if he’d be able to escape. 

He felt someone draw nearer and blinked the tears away, he couldn’t show weakness in front of them, and Natasha stepped into his field of vision. Tony was sweating profusely through his pain and every breath he took cams out as a gasp of pain, but still Natasha smirked. 

“It seems like everyone is fated to betray you.” Is the last thing Tony heard before he fell unconscious. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, I separated the trio. Huh, I wonder how Rhodey's gonna react to this? Comments keep me motivated, so don't be shy!


	4. The Days Pass By

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six days. Six days to escape. Six days surviving the Avengers. 
> 
> ...Well at least Wilson and Vision are tolerable.

_Day One_

Tony woke up peacefully for once, and got up carefully. He stretched, then winced as he felt a pang in his side. Right, he got shot, Tony had forgotten about that. He looked down and saw his abdomen wrapped up in gauze, and threw on a nearby oversized hoodie. There wasn’t a shirt around but he wasn’t about to go walking around bare chest, so this would have to do. Tony opened to door quietly, and let out a yelp when he saw Vision standing in front of it. 

“Anthony.” Vision seemed surprised that he was up and Tony backed away from him. It was obvious that Vision was just getting ready to open the door when Tony had done so, and he cursed his misfortune. If he had been up sooner or stayed down a moment longer he could’ve avoided Vision all together. 

“Vision.” Tony responded, and titled his head, “You sound like Jarvis.”

“You know of my predecessor?” Vision was shocked, and Tony shrugged as he went back to the bed to sit on it. 

“Not the AI JARVIS, the one older me made, but Jarvis. Edwin Jarvis.” Tony elaborated when Vision looked at him curiously, and he walked over to sit down on the chair next to the bed Tony was sitting on. Huh, Tony guessed he’d have guards then. 

“There was another Jarvis?”

“Yeah, he was a family friend. When he died, that’s probably when older me started working on JARVIS. For me, I had just completed DUM-E a few weeks ago before I woke up here. But I always knew I’d created something like JARVIS, and I did it.” Tony smiled proudly before it faded, “But then he died. And you took his place, but I least I still have FRIDAY.” 

There was silence, and Vision wondered what to say. Young children were very fragile, Vision had read up on them when he heard of Anthony turning into a child, and he didn’t want to hurt his feelings. He was still Mr. Stark after everything, and even though Vision stood by while the other Avengers did what they did he didn’t have to be like them. 

It was Tony that broke the silence. 

“It’s funny, even though JARVIS was given up for you we still end up on opposite sides.” Vision looked at Anthony, who had a sharp humorless smile on his face. 

“I know you must hold both Jarvis’s dearly in your heart-“ 

“Hey, it’s fine. Better this way actually, that you’re not JARVIS.” Tony laughed sarcastically, “You know why? Because if there was even a hint of my Jarvis left in you then he’d be tortured by the fact that he’s _there,_ inside your head, but he can’t do anything to help me. That he’s alive and yet can’t do a thing, just stuck watching me being mistreated over and over. So yeah, I’m _happy_ you’re not JARVIS. And I’m happy he’s not alive in you, watching the witch and the others do this to me. I don’t want any version of Jarvis to feel that way, trapped and helpless, so I’m _glad_ you are your own person.” 

There was silence, and Vision felt a chord strike within him. It made him sad, to know that Tony was happy he was his own person for all the wrong reasons. The Tony he usually sees said that he knew that Vision was his own person, and not JARVIS, and that he’d never expect for Vision to act like him. Vision had been comforted by the fact, but...

Does the Tony of today share the same sentiment as his younger self?  

“Wanda wanted the best for you, however misguided.” Vision tried the explain, and Tony scoffed. 

“Don’t bother trying to explain her intentions. I had the best intentions for Ultron, but that didn’t work out did it?” Tony asked cynically, and Vision almost winced. 

“You know of Ultron?”

“Yeah. I know what I intended it to be, and I know how the Avengers treated me when things went wrong.” Here, young Anthony actually looked enraged on his own behalf, “They were scared, if it had been human maybe not so much. But it was a sentient, self learning, AI and they were wary of that. They don’t know the subject, Romanoff knows every weak point of a human body but not a robot’s, and because I made it they put the blame on me.” 

“Humans do act irrationally when fearful.” Vision conceded and tried to use this agreement to help thaw out the distrust Tony has for the rest of the Avengers, but the genius stopped him. 

“I know what you’re going for, don’t waste your breath. _Fear_ doesn’t entice Maximoff to turn me into a child, or to use my fears against me. _Hate does._ From what I gathered, everyone except for Barton experience her magic and yet nobody bothers to check up on me.”

“We didn’t know. You never told us.”

“I wonder why?” Tony says sharply, “But, even if I didn’t why didn’t anybody do a sweep to see who was affected? Rogers is all about checking up on the team after the battle and yet _Nick Fury_ , who isn’t even _apart_ of the team, is the only one I told.”

“How do you know all of this? You don’t have memories.”

“Older me made sure to keep records of the event, including notes on Maximoff’s magic and her participation in Ultron, so if you guys think you can try to misinform me, try a different tactic because that one isn’t going to work.” 

“We wouldn’t try to misinform you.”

“Maybe not you, but the others? Don’t be so sure.”

“Wanda’s alliance with Ultron as been forgiven.”

“Why? Because her brother died? Because she switched sides once she realized it wouldn’t be only the Avengers killed, but the whole world?” Tony shot back, and Vision didn’t have anything to say. They could sugar coat their words all they want, but in the end Tony hit the nail right on the head, “She didn’t switch sides out of the good of her heart, she did it for her survival. She saw that we were the only force capable of defeating Ultron, something she always knew, and helped us out to ensure the world didn’t end with her on it. Barton, at one point or another, took her under his wing in the midst of the battle and from there she got the green card to join the Avengers.” 

“She had been under bad influence all her life-“

“Because she _willingly_ joined Hydra? That’s not an excuse, she volunteered and knew what she was getting herself into. And even if she didn’t willingly join, that doesn’t mean she couldn’t think for herself.”

“Research indicates that in a bad environment-“

“You want to know something? Everyday my dad used to beat me. He would find excuses, I didn’t do good in school that day or even for the simple fact that I should’ve never been born. And everyday I picked myself up, washed away the blood and hide the bruises, and meet the day with enthusiasm. When I got sent off to college, that was the best day of my life. I met Rhodey and I got my first true friend. I met his family one day on his birthday, and I saw how they interacted and I was in awe. They didn’t hit or belittle one another, their weaknesses was supported by another’s strength. In that moment, I realized the true meaning of family.” Tony had taken to picking at his sweater while talking, and Vision knew it was something he had to do if he wanted to continue. He had read about trauma too, hoping to help Wanda, and it didn’t matter how long it had been since the trauma occurred, it still affected the person. They needed a distraction, big or small, to relieve the emotions brought on by the trauma. 

“Wanda had her brother, and her family. They died when she was young, but she had a family. She had her brother. When they threw themselves at Hydra’s feet, they knew what they were getting themselves into. I don’t want to hear her sob story because even though she had a traumatic childhood, it doesn’t excuse her actions _now_.” Vision felt...conflicted. Logically he knew Tony was right, but he cared for Wanda. 

“You’re next guard will be in here shortly. Please do not attempt to escape.” Leaving the room, Vision only made it around the corner before he encountered Wanda. 

“Hey Viz!” She chirped happily, before frowning at him. “Is something wrong?”

“No, not at all. I just had an interesting conversation with young Anthony.” Vision explained, and Wanda frowned.

“He upset you? Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him.” Wanda marches past him, and Vision couldn’t help but wonder what she meant by ‘talk’.

“Wanda, that’s not necessary.”

“I know, but I’ll do it for you.” Wanda smiled kindly at him, before turning to Clint who was just about to enter the room. “Switch times with me?”

“Sure, he’ll probably be easier to deal with at night anyway.” Clint walked off and Wanda went in.

Vision walked away from the door, and went to go read.

Nothing will go wrong in there, Wanda will just talk to young Anthony.

He’s sure of it.

* * *

All the guards had some sort of snarky remark to make to Tony about his punishment, except for Wilson who just looked horrified. 

“You needed to be taught a lesson some day, Wanda was just lucky to get to you first.”

“No sarcastic comment? Oh wait, you can’t.”

“Tony, you needed a punishment.”

“This is what happens when you hurt Viz’s feelings. Or anybody else’s. Remember this Anthony.”

Then it was Vision’s turn to play guard. 

He entered slowly, waiting for a remark about how he “unleashed his pet witch on him” but nothing came. 

“Young sir?” Vision walked in and looked to the bed to see a body curled up between blankets. The blankets were shaking, and on one of them Vision could make out little marks of water. Droplets. 

Anthony was crying? 

“Anthony?” The blankets stilled, then Tony sat up while harshly wiping his face. 

It didn’t hide the fact his eyes were puffy, and his cheeks were red.

Tony opened his mouth, then thought better and shut it.

“What’s wrong?” Vision walked closer and sat down on the chair has Tony glared at him. He started signing angrily and Vision shook his head. “I don’t know how to read sign language, you’ll have to use your words.”

Tony looked away, and Vision brought out a pen and a small notebook from his pocket. 

“Would it be better if you write?” Tony looked at the pen and notebook and Vision held it out. Tony shook his head and hid his hands.

_‘I don’t like being handed things.’_ Tony used to say that all the time, Vision remembered, and the others brushed it off as arrogance but they may have been wrong if it’s present in younger Tony too.

Vision put the objects on the bed and watched as Tony picked them up. He stared at the notebook, perhaps debating on whether or not to rip it to get back at Vision, before opening it up to a blank page and writing.

‘You like cooking?’ Deflection, then, but Vision played along for now.

“Yes, it’s one of my hobbies.”

‘Is the other putting your pet witch on others?’ And there was the comment Vision expected.

“I’m afraid I don’t know what Ms. Maximoff did.” Maybe if he acted he wasn’t close to Wanda, Tony would open up more.

‘Yeah right. All the others did.’

“I wasn’t informed with them.” Here, Tony frowned.

‘Why wouldn’t she tell you? She did this for you.’

“Maybe she thought I’d disagree.”

‘It doesn’t matter in the end. You won’t do anything about it.’ Tony’s handwriting got messier, out of rage or sadness Vision didn’t know, and he handed the objects back to Vision. He was done communicating.

“Can you show me?” Tony shrugged and opened his mouth. He started mouthing words, and when he was done he close his mouth.

“I need words.” Tony shook his head and motioned to his mouth. It opened again, mouthed words, and closed again.

Vision felt a sinking feeling in his chest. Dawning horror, it was.

“She took away your ability to speak.” Tony nodded, and motioned to the notebook. Vision gave it to him in the midst of shock.

‘Everything we do is because of our brain. It control our movements, our thought process, our everything. Since she uses mind manipulation, she can take away any of that with ease. Since I made you upset using my words, she took away my ability to do so.’

“She said she was going to talk to you.”

‘She did. Talked about how much of a bad person I was, and that apparently it’s just in my blood so she’ll need to deal out harsher treatments to counteract my naturally destructive behavior.’

“She’ll give you your ability to talk in a few days.”

‘You’re right, but while I can’t talk she’ll be using this to her advantage. So will everyone else. They’ll use my ability to not talk back to make sure any smart comment or complaints are heard. Wanda has scheduled some meetings with me to show me the _truth_ , whatever that means.’

“I’ll try to convince her to fix it.”

Tony signed something that Vision couldn’t understand, and there was a knock on the door. Tony gave his notebook and pen back and waved goodbye.

Vision openedthe door for Natasha and heard was she was saying to Tony as she walked in.

“Huh, are those tear tracks? Not being able to speak must be really getting to you.” Tony must’ve signed something because Natasha responded, “Maybe we’ll tie your hands next time, so you won’t have any forms of communication.”

Vision closed the door.

Later, when he looked up sign language, he figured out what Tony was saying at the end.

‘ _She’s attached you to strings.’_

* * *

_Day Two_

“You see what you did? You really want to go back to that?”

“I changed. I gave that up when I became Iron man.”

“It’s in your blood Stark, you’ll never change. It’s time to go back under.” Red was thrown at him and he slumped against his chains.

‘ _You’re not the type to make a sacrifice play, to lay down on the wire and let others crawl over you.’_

_‘I think I’d just cut the wire._

_‘Always a way out.’_

_“You see that? You’re selfish.”_

_“I’m realistic.”_

_‘Everyone creates what they fear.’_

_‘I knew his fear would control him.’_

“You created a monster.”

“You made me create him. You knew I would do something like that.”

‘ _Anthony! Get out of the way!’ A body slammed into his._

_‘I’m joining Ana...I’m sorry to leave you alone young sir..._

_‘No! Jarvis!’_

“You killed your butler, your family friend, and didn’t mourn at all.”

There was no response. 

Wanda smirked, Stark could defend his future self but he can’t defend what he did. It was just like the Merchant she knew, fighting everyone’s battles except for his own.

‘ _To the Pentagon? Don’t worry mom you’ll love it.’_

_‘Say something to your father.’_

_There was an argument._

“Can’t even sat goodbye to your father without arguing, you have a bad temper.

“I...I don’t remember that. That hasn’t happened yet.” This time, he didn’t try to defend himself.

_‘Sergeant Barnes?’_

_Cracked skull._

_‘Howard...Howard...’_

_Chocked._

_Mom!_

Tony lurched against his chains as the red drew away from him, and he could feel the sweat rolling off of his skin.

“You see the truth of the matter? The one you went seeking for help made you an orphan.” 

“You gave me that nightmare. To make me run away.”

“I didn’t know it would work that well to the point we could bring you back, but yes I did.”

“You’re a monster.”

“Sorry, but I’m not a mirror.” Wanda said sweetly, and Tony glared. He tugged at the chains futilely and could feel his arms going numb from being in the air for so long. His feet were left dangling, kicking out in fear when he went under, and his arms were chained above him. 

“Are we done today?” Tony acted fearless, but he was anything from it. Not that he’d tell Wanda that.

“Yes, later today I will grab you again for a quick lesson. Not this though, something else.”

“Great.” Tony said sarcastically as Wanda used her magic to unlock the chains, and he dropped to the floor. He stumbled and fell, his legs momentarily useless from not being used, before he slowly got up to let his legs adjust to his weight.

“Who’s my guard?” Tony mumbled as Wanda walked him back to his prison of a room, and he was quickly learning to tell the time based on who was there to watch him.

“Sam.” Tony was slightly happy for that, out of all the guards Sam and Vision weren’t bad, and he managed to stay there long enough to skip Natasha’s time as a guard.

His guards went in order from morning to night, Vision to Clint, and while he wasn’t allowed to know the time he knew what time it was based on the guards. Natasha was his noon guard, which means he skipped lunch, but Sam should have dinner. Vision arrived early in the morning, and Wanda took the second morning shift to teach him his ‘lessons’. Clint arrived at night when he was basically asleep, but sometimes he was in the vents too. Tony was still trying to figure out when’s the best time to leave.

Steve wasn’t a permanent guard like the rest, which made him unpredictable. He’d switch out with anyone except for Wanda, and when he was Tony’s guard he’d try to convince Tony to tell him where Bucky went. If that doesn’t work, then he’ll tell stories which either ended up talking about Bucky or complaining about how childish Tony is and was. 

He wouldn’t admit it, but it hurt when Steve compared him to Howard.

Tony wanted to tell him that Howard wasn’t all Steve made him out to be, tell him about the nights he spent in a dark basement blinded and without the ability to make noise, but that would be revealing a weakness and Tony didn’t need them knowing anymore than they already did.

Natasha was troublesome, she’s sapping Tony’s strength and he has a feeling she knows that. Since she’s his lunch guard, sometimes she’ll withhold food if he doesn’t give her answers. She’ll ask about certain things, where Bucky is or how Howard was, but he knew if he answered the questions he’d be screwed. She can already pick out the chinks in his armor, he didn’t need to give her more fuel.

He also was forced to turn the power back on, but he made sure when he was fixing it not to give them access to the labs or turn on their weapons. When they asked why those things weren’t working, he shrugged and stated that he didn’t know how _everything_ worked. Only some.

“Thanks Wanda, I’ll take it from here.” Sam said as they appeared, and Wanda nodded before walking away. Not before putting the spell back on, making Tony unable to speak. The door shut and Tony staggered over to the bed numbly, seeing but not.

“Little dude? You good?” Tony couldn’t respond, not that he would if he could, he just sunk into the bed and pull the blankets to him. Sam belatedly realized Tony couldn’t speak, and look around uncomfortably. Tony realized he was shivering, from the memories of the cold cave probably, but couldn’t find it in himself to care. He didn’t think Sam was going to report this, that they were finally breaking him, and could hear Sam shifting on his feet, obviously not knowing what to do.

“I’ll just leave your dinner on the bedside.” A plate was set down and Tony looked up at it under his lashes. It was a PB&J, an obvious punishment for him acting out yesterday. When he didn’t act like compliant, they would lessen his food. 

‘ _Yinsen! Stick to the plan!’_ It’s okay though, apparently he already went through that type of torture.

He wondered if they would start waterboarding him like the terrorists did. 

Tony shivered again and curled around his chest, even though he knew the arc reactor wasn’t there. 

“What happened to you...?” He heard Sam mutter, and would’ve scoffed if he had the strength. Sam knew exactly what was happened to him, he didn’t have the right to act concerned. 

Hours ticked by and Tony barely realized that Sam changed into Clint, too busy staring blankly at the wall.

“Hey Wanda, what are you doing here?” He heard Clint ask, and almost threw up the food he had just been nibbling on. Tony had completely forgotten Wanda was going to pick him up. 

“I’m just going to show Tony something, a change of pace, is that okay?”

“Yeah sure, he hasn’t been a pain today surprisingly. I think your methods are working.”

“That’s good, I’m glad he’s making progress.” If progress is breaking his mind, then yeah they’re definitely making progress on him.

“Tony get up.” Clint commanded, and Tony stayed where he was at. He didn’t know if he even had the mental strength to stand up.

“I got him.” Red pulsed around his body, along with his blanket that he had wrapped around him, and he was lifted. 

“Thanks Wanda.” When Tony looked at Clint lifelessly, Clint had to wonder if the lessons were working maybe too well. 

Wanda and Tony disappeared behind the corner turn before Clint could ask.

By the time Tony came back, Clint had managed to convince himself he was being paranoid. Wanda had it under control, he was sure of it. 

* * *

_Day Three_

“Oh thank god you’re here, I thought they might’ve gotten you.” Rhodes said relieved, and Bucky couldn’t say he was feeling the same.

“Where’s Tony?” Rhodes looked behind him, and saw nobody. When he looked at Bucky, he had changed into Winter. 

“We left the child behind.” He said monotone, and Bucky internally snarled at him for acting like it was an unanimous decision.

“Who’s we?” Rhodes looked at him suspiciously, but he could see panic in there too. Obviously for Tony, Winter could tell Rhodes wasn’t afraid of him.

“James and I.”

“I thought I _was_ talking to James Barnes.” Here, Rhodes look slightly confused but he didn’t let it deter him from his mission. Winter respected that, the ability to stay focused even though someone you care about may be in a bad situation.

“You’re talking to Winter. As in the Winter Soldier. You can speak to James if you wish, but he won’t be as composed as me and it’ll take you longer to get information.” Rhodes considered this, before ultimately shaking his head. 

“No, if that’s the case then I need to speak to you.” Rhodes assessed him once more before opening the door all the way. Winter stepped inside and, after looking around, explained what went down. 

Rhodes looked sick at the end of it, and stood up violently.

“Friday, get me the suit. Now.” Winter was confused as to what he was talking about before armor assembled around Rhodes. Winter had seen it before, Hydra made him commit the Iron-Man armor to memory with the strict instructions to stay away, but this one was painted shades of gray.

“No, he gave me specific instructions.” Winter wouldn’t stop Rhodes from leaving, he wasn’t reckless enough to try and grab an _Iron-Man armor,_ but he was sure Rhodes would respect Tony’s will.

“What.” Rhodes grounded out, obviously not in the mood for chit-chat, and Winter repeated what Tony told him in relations to his escape.

“He wants us to _wait?”_ Rhodes said in disbelief, and Winter nodded.

“This is day three, wait three more days and then we can grab him.” This is obvious the more emotional part of the conversation, and Winter let Bucky resurface. Rhodes saw the change in them, but didn’t comment. 

“And why should I wait?” 

“Because it’s Tony. The Tony who grew up with Howard telling him to have no weaknesses. Whether we like it or not, we’re weaknesses to him. Which means we can be used against him. If _any_ of them gets one of us, it’s game over. You know him better than anybody else, and you know Tony would rather _die_ then let anything happen to us. I’m not saying to let him stay there for a month, just three days. Three more days of us planning our rescue, and if he’s not here by then we go to them prepared for anything.”

“A lot can happen in three days.”

“Nothing unfixable. I know your his best friend, but believe me when I say that I want nothing more then to go there guns blazing and find him. But Winter and Tony have a point, we want to be of use to Tony not a liability.” Rhodes struggled for a moment, emotion battling logic, before he sighed and the armor retracted. 

“Three days. After that nothing you say will stop me from going there and rescuing my Tony.” 

_‘Let’s show them what happens when you mess with my Rhodey.’_

Bucky smiled at the similar possessiveness in Tony and Rhodey for each other and nodded. 

Three days.

_Rhodey prayed it wouldn’t be three months again_.

“If it helped calm your nerves Colonel, I can hack into the cameras and you can view them. I won’t be able to interact with Boss without raising attention, but I could do that if you wish it so.”

“Yes, thank you Friday.” A moment later, the TV in the living room flickered to life and they went over to watch it. 

_“Why are you being so difficult? I showed you the truth!”_

_“One evil doesn’t negate another one.”_

It was Wanda and Tony, one of them in shackles.

_“Hold your arms up.”_ Tony glared but did as told and the shackles on his wrists broke into two, one cuff for each wrist, and Wanda attached the other ends to the high end of the wall. Tony was lifted into the air because of this, and his legs were left.

“ _I’ll be right back, don’t try anything dumb.”_ Wanda left the room and Tony bit his lip. He rattled his chain experimentally and Bucky knew it was to see if anyone came in. When nobody checked up on him, Tony swayed slightly and used the momentum to grab the left chain. Now that his arms were together, his right hand produced a paper clip from seemingly out of nowhere and started working on the lock for his left hand.

“ _C’mon...don’t tell me I lost it.”_ Tony struggled with the lock for a minute, before he managed to unlock it. He quickly started working in his right hand but he was having more trouble with it because it wasn’t his dominant hand working on the lock.

“ _Always a disappointment.”_ Wanda’s voice sounded from in front of Tony, who was quickly paling. “ _We’ll need more intricate locks for you next time. Wouldn’t want you getting away after all.”_

“ _Get away from me Maximoff. I’m warning you.”_ Tony said lowly, fearful but determined, and the witch smirked.

_“What are you going to do about it? You still have another arm chained.”_  

“ _I warned you.”_ Tony tapped on his watch that was on his right hand and Bucky watched as it turned into a gauntlet. He blasted off his last chain and aimed his hand at Wanda.

“ _Don’t make any sudden movements.”_

_“You really are the Merchant, through and through.”  
_

_“And you’re really Hydra.”_ There was silence, and then Wanda lunged forward. Tony shot a repulser blast at her leg and she fell over, letting out a short scream from the pain, and Tony jumped over her and to the door. 

“Follow him Friday.”

“Will do Colonel.” Friday switched cameras to follow Tony down the halls, and the young genius gritted his teeth. 

“ _Alright, let’s see how this escape goes.”  
_

_“You shouldn’t be attempting an escape at all.”_ Tony turned around and barely dodged a hit from the Widow.

“ _Back again? I thought you would’ve learned your lesson last time.”_ Tony said, spinning to avoid another hit. 

“ _That won’t happen again.”_ Natasha brought out a short baton and flicked it once to get it to lengthen. “ _Now, are we doing this the hard way or the easy way?”_

_“I’m not going back to that torture.”_ Tony crouched into a defensive position and, without Natasha noticing, the gauntlet went back into a watch. Tony put his fists up, and Bucky wondered how he thought he was going to best Natasha.

“ _What’s he doing?”_ He heard Rhodes mutter, and wondered the same thing.

_“You don’t have a choice.”_ Natasha swiped at his feet and Tony jumped, and while in midair kicked his foot out. Widow grabbed it, and Tony seemed to expect this because when he fell he used his hands to hold him up in a handstand. Tony used his other foot and wrapped it around Natasha’s neck, locking it and putting his body weight in pulling her down. She hit the floor and Tony flipped to stand. He raced past her and almost made it, but she grabbed his ankle and tripped him.

“You fight dirty.” Natasha said, blood dripping from her forehead.

“I fight to survive.” Tony tapped watch again and Bucky watched Natasha’s eyes widen in realization. “Now let go.”

Natasha thought about it for a moment, before letting go. Bucky nodded, she’s obviously smart enough to know better than to hold on and risk getting blasted in the face.

Tony picked himself up and started running again. He slid under Clint’s legs and rolled to keep his momentum, then picked up the running again. Clint notched an arrow and aimed it at Tony, then let it fly. It hit him in the leg, and Tony stumbled.

“What the...?” Tony yanked out the arrow and frowned as only a trickle of blood came out. “If that was suppose to stop me, it didn’t work.”

“Oh it will.” Tony didn’t understand what he meant, but shrugged it off in favor of continuing to run.

“There’s the door, I just have to get past Wilson.” Tony muttered and Bucky watched with trepidation. Wilson didn’t seem concerned about the body running towards him, and Bucky realized why the exact moment Rhodey did.

“Damn it. They tranquilized him.” True to his words, Tony was slowing down. Tony didn’t seem concerned though, and he collapsed right into Wilson’s arms once he finally reached him.

“Sorry little dude. But Steve and the rest of them don’t want you escaping.”

“Even Vis..?” Tony voiced was slurred, and it was obvious he was battling the tranquilizer.

“I don’t know how Vision feels.” Wilson admitted, “But I don’t think he likes this.”

“It’s ‘cause he’s a good person.” Tony frowned before laughing slightly, “Android? It don’t matter I guess. I’m going to be a mindless puppet soon.”

“You’re tired.” Wilson said uneasily, obviously put off by what Tony said.

“Yeah, but that don’t mean I’m wrong.” Before Wilson could say anything, Tony’s eyes fluttered close and he fell asleep.

“It seems like he’ll be out for a good while. If you want to go take a nap or something, you can and I’ll call you back when he wakes up.” Rhodes offers, and Bucky nods after a moment of hesitation. He’d like to stay here and watch over Tony, but he knows Rhodes will be doing that either way. It’d be better to save up energy now, so he could take shift in the night and let Rhodes sleep. He made his way to what Friday instructed was a guest bedroom and lied in bed. After a good few minutes, he felt drowsiness take hold and let himself go under.

* * *

_Day Four_  

Tony was making mental calculations on how fast Clint was able to let his arrow go and when the correct time to dodge would be, when the door opened.

“Vision? Isn’t Wilson suppose to be here?” Tony asked as Vision walked through the door with his dinner.

“Mr. Wilson is feeling...conflicted about seeing you.”

“He feels bad.” Tony translated, and Vision nodded. “But you don’t?”

No response.

“I bet you do, but you feel like you have to do it. Why?”

No response.

“Is it because of Steve?”

No response.

“Maximoff then.”

“Why didn’t you guess anyone else?” Vision asked instead, and Tony knew he was right.

“They seem to run the show, the judge and the executioner.”

“They both believe their right.”

“Well so do I.” Tony’s voice hardened, and his eyes became flinty. “Listen Vision, I’m getting out of here soon and I’d rather not go through you. When the time comes, stay back. Tell Wilson the same. I want to believe you two aren’t like them, but I can’t know for sure.”

“The Captain may ask me to apprehend you.”

“I hope he doesn’t, because even if you may be a good guy I won’t let you get in my way.”

Vision sat in his chair, and there was silence.

“That wasn’t your real escape plan, was it?” Vision asked, and Tony gave him a loose smirk.

“Correct, that’d be pretty embarrassing if it was.”

“It was to gauge our reaction time, I’m assuming?”

“I needed to see all variables that may come to play, and the best way to go about it.” Tony answered in a roundabout way, and Vision sighed. 

“I wish you just stood here.”

“I wish you guys cared for me, but not all of us can get what we want.” Tony shot back, and silence fell upon them again.

* * *

_Day Five_  

Rhodey and Bucky watched Tony get his punishment for trying to escape on day four silently, and gravely.

“What’s your name?”

“Tony Stark.” Tony jolted in pain as another red wave went into him.

“Name?”

“Tony Stark!” He yelled out, desperately trying to convince himself of it as his mind tore itself apart.

“Why are you resisting so much? Do you really value your name so much?”

“It’s my only defense against you, the ability to know I’m my own person.” He wasn’t the Merchant, he wasn’t the Avenger’s puppet, he wasn’t anything he didn’t want to be.

“Call him.” Rhodes said suddenly, and Bucky glanced at him.

“Why?”

“It’ll distract them long enough for Tony to get a breather, he’s slipping.”

“He seems fine.”

“I know him, and he’s definitely not going to be able to take the next few attacks without cracking.”

‘Listen to the Colonel, he knows the child to most.’

“Alright.” Bucky had been given a phone, courtesy of Friday, and while he was still learning the controls he knew how to call and text.

On Tony’s side, he was just preparing for another more attack when the phone rang.

“Do you know who this is?” Wanda showed him the screen after fishing it out of his pocket, and Tony blinked at it slowly. 

“Ugh never mind, you’re useless.” Wanda answered the phone and waited for someone to speak.

“Tony, you good?” Bucky decided to play like he had no idea where Tony was, and put on a Brooklyn accent “You’ve escape already right? I mean obviously sine you’re answerin’ and all.” Wanda moved her hands as they glowed red and the cameras went static.

Did she know they were watching? But then Tony answered.

“Hey Bucky, I’m fine. I’ve decided to stick around for a little while, see what they have to offer.” His voice seemed to lag, and it sounded monotone.

“Hey Tony, who am I?” Bucky switched to Winter, and they both had a suspicion.

“Bucky Barnes, obviously. Why, you losing your memories again?” Tony joked, but his voice fell flat, and he confirmed their suspicions.

“Ha very funny Tony.” Bucky said sarcastically before letting fondness deep into his tone, “You do you kid just be safe.”

“Whatever you say Bucky.” Tony hung up, and Bucky turned towards Rhodes.

“He was being mind controlled or something, that wasn’t him.”

“How do you know?”

“He knows the difference between Winter and I, always has, and his voice wasn’t right.” Rhodes nodded slightly as he went to pull up their plans to get Tony.

* * *

_Day Six_

Tony had done it, he had escaped. Barely, he was sure if Rogers had been notified his plans would’ve been ruined. He managed to knock out Clint and Natasha before they could let anyone else know, and he left in the middle of the night with no noise. He spent the whole rest of the night devising his plan, and when it reached morning Friday informed him it was time. 

Peter started his morning walk to school after grabbing a granola bar on the run, late to wake up as always, when he felt a tug at the hem of his sweater. Looking down, he saw a doe-eyes kid staring up at him.

“Peter Parker?” The kid asked, soft and afraid, and Peter bent down.

“Hey kid, what’s up?” Peter smiled kindly and the kid bit his lip. 

“Can you help me? I need to get somewhere, but New York is huge.” 

“Yeah of course, what’s your name?”

“Tony.” Peter briefly thought of his mentor, before focusing back on the child before him.

“Well, nice to meet you Tony! Do you know where you need to go?” Tony nodded and handed him a slip that had an address on it. Peter looked it over and then nodded.

“Okay I know where that’s at, here take my hand and we’ll go there.” Tony’s hand, which had previously been engulfed in the sleeve of his sweater, reached out and took the extended hand that Peter held out, and then they were on their way.

Even if he was late to school he couldn’t leave a small, lost, child on his own.

Peter didn’t think question how Tony knew his name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hereeeeee comes Peter! The newest addition to our cast! Next chapter we’ll be seeing Dr. Stephen Strange and more of Bucky and Rhodey interaction! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, comments are appreciated!


	5. Growing Up (Again)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are coming into play, and the Avengers are just now realizing it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not Russian, and I’m only just starting to learn it, so if anything’s wrong I’m sorry! If something is wrong and you know the correct way to phrase it please let me know!

“So how old are you?” Peter asked, and Tony bit the inside of his cheek. 

“I don’t know, but I think at this point I’m ten.” Tony flinched as someone bumped into him and Peter pulled him closer. 

“Can I put you on my shoulders?” Tony nodded and Peter lifted him up, “Why don’t you know?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Tony started playing with Peter’s hair, and the 16 year old hummed in acceptance. He wasn’t going to push it.

“We’re here Tony.” The person in question had Peter put him down and he knocked on the door.

“What do you want?” A older man answered the door, with a red cape floating besides him. 

“Oh my god is that a flying cape?” Peter got sidetracked and absolutely lit up when the cape waved at him.

“It’s a cloak, how’d you even know to get here?” The man seemed slightly annoyed, and Peter definitely had to get his name. And ask him how he got a cloak to levitate on its own.

“That’d be because of me.” Tony said defiantly and the man peered down at him.

“Who are-wait. I know that signature.” He crouched in front of him and looked into brown eyes, “Stark?” Peter seemed to snap out of his awe at the name, and looked down at the two. 

“In the flesh. Nice to meet you Stephen Strange.” Tony gave a wolfish grin and yeah, Peter could see the similarities. But that couldn’t be possible because Mr. Stark is an adult. 

“I sense a different magic on you. Who did this?”

“Scarlet Witch, Wanda Maximoff.”

“Come inside, quickly.” Strange ushered Tony inside and looked at Peter, “You may leave now.”

“No!” Tony’s voice startled both of them, “I want him here. Older me trusted him, he adored him. I don’t know many people that can achieve that, even at my age, so I want him with me. Worst comes to worst, if the Avengers are aware of him they could try and kidnap him.” Peter blanched at that, because woah the _Avengers_ kidnapping _him_ , and Strange nodded at him. 

“Fine, come on.” With that, the sorcerer whisked them away to a library. “Sit down, don’t touch anything, I’ll be right back.” Like the curious child he was, the moment Strange left Tony was up and about.

“Tony! Come sit down, we don’t want to make Mr. Sorcerer Man mad!” Peter whispered, and Tony gave a toothy grin.

“Don’t worry Mr. Peter! He’s trustworthy, from what older me says about him!”

“Glad to hear Stark actually has some nice things to say about me.” Strange said dryly as he appeared through a portal, and motioned Tony to sit. He did so obligingly, and swung his feet.

“So, can you fix me?” Tony asked, more serious than Peter had seen him as a kid, and Strange nodded.

“Two days if you stay here, three if you leave.”

“Sorry Stranger, but I have to get to Malibu.” Strange rolls his eyes fondly at the twist on his name before asking.

“Why?” Tony frowned at the question because if he was being honest he didn’t really know. He only had vague memories but...

_‘I’ll see you in Malibu Rhodey.’_

_‘Go to Malibu! I’ll meet you in three days!’_

“People are waiting for me.” He didn’t know who Rhodey was, or who the cold blue-eyed man was, but he knew they were important.

“Alright, I can make it easier for you. Do you want to come with him?” Strange asked Peter, who fidgeted nervously. 

“I would like to, but Aunt May would freak out if I suddenly disappeared.”

“I heard we made up a story that you’re my intern.” At Peters nod, he continues, “Well, I can sign a form saying that I need you for a week for the internship. Then you can come with.”

“Good idea!” Peter brightened and took a sheet of paper from his notebook, “Here!” Tony wrote out a quick note stating that Peter would be staying with him for a week to further explore the internship and signed it. He had perfected his signature long ago, and was sure he never changed it. 

“Come back here within an hour, okay?” Peter nodded and practically bounced out the door, excited for this journey.

“Who is that kid?” Strange asked, slightly amused, after Peter left and Tony shrugged.

“Dunno, apparently he’s a superhero named Spider-Man and he’s under my mentoring. Older me seemed to have big plans for him, and wanted to recruit you.”

“Recruit me? For what?”

“Guess you’ll find out.” Tony winked and Stephen groaned good-naturally.

“Have you always been a prick?”

“Only when it matters.”

* * *

“Alright, you remember the plan?”

“Yes, I always do.” Winter responded, and Rhodes nodded gravelly. 

“Then lets go get Tony.”

“Don’t have to, I’m right here.” Winter and Rhodes turned around to see Tony and one unfamiliar person step out of a golden portal. “Thanks for the shortcut Strange.”

“Three days Stark.”

“Yeah yeah I got it.” The portal closed, and Winter frowned at the child. 

“You’re smaller.”

“And I don’t even know you.”

“What?” Rhodes looked between him and Tony, “I thought you said he knew you.” Winter knew he had to clear this up fast, because Rhodes looked like he was about to blast his head off in the War Machine armor.

Luckily, Tony did it for him.

“Oh wait no, I recognize you. James Buchanan Barnes, Steve Rogers’s best friend and man of the army. You’re also suppose to be dead.”

“Yeah well, Hydra lets nobody rest.” Winter reverted back to Bucky, and Tony took noticed.

“I don’t think James had dual personalities either.” 

“Well last time I saw Tony, he wasn’t five. You sure _you’re_ not an imposter?” Bucky joked, and Tony scowled. 

“For your information, I’m ten. Also, Rhodes don’t shoot him.” Rhodey looked surprised that Tony knew what he was thinking, but shrugged.

“I didn’t want to shoot him, I was just starting to tolerate him, but if it was an imposter then I’d have no choice.”

“This is Peter Parker by the way.” The other boy waved excitedly, and Rhodes raised an eyebrow.

“You brought a kid with you?”

“In case you haven’t noticed, _I am a kid._ But, older me trusts him and seems to have a close connection with him. I don’t want the kidnappers trying to take him.”

“You don’t know who he is?”

“I don’t know who any of you are.” Tony shot back, and Rhodes looked surprised. 

“Last time I talked to you, you were in college.”

“That’ll do it. Sorry, but apparently I was regressed even more.” Tony motioned to his oversized clothes that he had gotten when he first started traveling with Winter. “I’m ten, but I’ve heard I used to be 17.” 

“So how does that work?”

“Today I’ll stay as the age I am now, tomorrow I’ll be 17 and then the next day I’ll be back to normal.” Tony explained, and Rhodes nodded. 

“Okay, we just have to make sure the Avengers don’t get you until then.”

“So which Avenger is trying to get him?” Peter asked, because maybe it wasn’t all of them. Maybe it was only Maximoff? 

“All of them.”

“What?” Peter squeaked out, and thought about that. Six days of all the Avengers on Tony, wanting something of him, was _terrible_.

“Yeah, but it’s okay. When I’m bigger again there’ll be hell to pay.” It was a little weird hearing that from a 10 year old, but Peter didn’t doubt it wasn’t true.

“Um, do any of you have food?” Tony blushed and looked down at his feet, scuffling them, “They didn’t let me have a lot, it was my one constant punishment.” Rhodey looked enraged, and Peter could feel the same emotion rushing in his veins. Tony had been 17, and they kept _food_ away from him?

What the hell? 

Apparently, Tony mistook their expressions for being directed at him because he quickly retracted his statement. “Never mind I’m not that hungry anyway, I don’t need food.” Despite his words, Peter’s super-hearing picked up on Tony’s stomach rumbling and looking at Barnes he knew that he could hear the same thing. 

“No kid it’s okay, we’re just angry at the assholes that did this to you.” Tony laughed at the curse word, and Rhodey smiled.

“Madre always yells at Dad when he curses at me.” Tony smiled at the mention of his mother, his Italian accent noticeable thicker, and Peter looks sad behind him. Probably at the mention of Howard yelling at Tony if Bucky had to guess. But when Tony turns towards him, Peter smiled brightly. 

“Who was Italian in your family? Your mom?” Peter asks as they lead him to the kitchen, and Tony nods. 

“Her whole family, I’ve been hanging out with my grandparents for a while. But I’ve heard that Howard wants me to stop seeing them, because he says they’re distracting me.” Tony’s smile dimmed, but he shook it off. “But at least I have Jarvis! And Aunt Peggy will visit soon!” Bucky wondered how Tony could switch from acting like an adult to acting like a child today. 

‘ _Howard makes him act like an adult, but Maria and her family probably let him act like a kid.’_

_‘Which is why Howard wants Tony to stop seeing them. At home he can stop Maria from treating him as such, or at least limit Tony’s time with her, but he can’t do that with the rest of her family.’_

_‘So he cuts Tony off from them.’_ Winter finishes, and Bucky felt heaviness in his chest from how _shitty_ Tony’s childhood had been.

“What sandwich do you want?” Peter asks joyfully, and Tony bites his lip as he thinks.

“Well Ana makes me grilled cheese when she comes over.” 

“Grilled cheese it is!” Peter turns, then pauses, “I’m a really bad cook, I’ll probably end up burning this place down.” Tony laughs at that, and Rhodey steps up. 

“I’ll make the grilled cheese, I’d rather not have this place burn down.”

“Okay come on Tony! Let’s go explore this place.” Peter picked up Tony and placed him on his shoulders, then sped off.

“Don’t go in the lab!” Rhodey calls after then, and the only answer he gets is laughing. “Kids.” Rhodes shakes his head fondly, and Bucky snorts as he leans against the wall. 

“Well one of them won’t be a kid for long.” 

“Yeah,” Rhodes looked thoughtful as he walked over to Bucky and clapped a hand on his shoulder, “You made the right move Barnes, it’s better to be on Tony’s side than against it.”

“Yeah, I think I’m going to find out why very soon.” Bucky said as he thought about the Avengers. He didn’t know what Tony had planned, but it wasn’t going to be good for that team. 

_Crash!_

“Boys!” Rhodes yelled, and there was laughter.

“We’re okay!”

“I’m sending Barnes down to you!” Bucky took his cue and, nodding at Rhodes, he made his way downstairs. 

“I thought Rhodes told you to stay away from the lab.” Bucky said as he walked towards the two boys, who were smiling goofily.

“ _Welllll_ , he didn’t say which room was the lab.” Peter said mischievously, and Tony spoke up besides him.

“Yeah! How were we to know this was the lab?” Bucky rolled his eyes and looked up to the ceiling.

“Friday, did you tell them what room it is?”

“I tried to, but Mr. Parker had Tony cover his ears, and then did the same for himself so they couldn’t hear me.”

“That means you _knew_ she was about to tell you it was the lab, and covered your ears so you couldn’t get it confirmed.” Bucky crossed his arms, amusement in his eyes, and Tony shrugged.

“While Friday is a very intelligent AI, she could be flawed. Glitches and all that, not knowing which room is which, and I can’t trust anything I didn’t make myself.”

“You wanna know who made her?” Bucky crouched down and tapped Tony’s chest, “You did.” Tony’s breath hitched, and he stared at Bucky wide-eyes. He could feel Tony’s heart rate pick up, and when he looked at Tony he saw confusion with a hint of panic in his eyes.

Bucky had a feeling this was about to go downhill quickly, and he couldn’t stop it.

“I’m not making weapons anymore?” Without waiting for an answer, Tony stumbled back some more, “That’s not possible, I have to make weapons.”

“Why?”

“It’s my legacy. It’s my only legacy, nobody will notice me if I’m not the best. I’m made for something bigger, I can’t give that opportunity away because I want to be selfish.”

“Selfish? What are you talking about?” Bucky asked, and his eyes flickered to Peter. When the teen made eye contact with him, he quietly motioned to the direction Rhodes was in and Peter nodded. The teen ran off, and Bucky focused back on the panicking boy.

“I can’t make friends, I can’t act like a child because I have to prove that I’m worth something. I only have one shot at this, at life, and I can’t waste it on simpler things.” 

Rhodes appeared and approached Tony calmly and cautiously, like he was a scared animal.

“Hey hey Tones, look at me. Keep your eyes on me.” Tony looked at Rhodes with wide eyes, hand clenched to his shirt where his heart is, and Rhodes kneeled in front of him. “You don’t know it yet, but you’re my best friend.”

“I can’t- _I can’t_ have any friends, much less a _best friend._ It’s not possible because-“ 

“Hey hey calm down.” Rhodes shushes Tony quickly, and it works, “I know you think you can’t right now, but you do. You have me, and you made weapons still.”

“I did?” Tony looked so scared and lost, but kept his eyes on Rhodes. 

“Yeah you did, because I was going into the army. You told me one night ‘only the best for my Rhodey’ because you wanted your weapons to protect me. Colonel James Rhodes, someone you cared for and could put your weapons to good use.” 

“I didn’t do it because of...?” 

“Of Howard? No, you did it because you had a best friend, and you didn’t want to lose them.” Rhodey didn’t tell this Tony about Obediah, or how he killed his second father figure, because this Tony didn’t need to know about that. He didn’t need to know that, while he did it to protect Rhodes, there was also another underlying factor for him making weapons and it was Obediah and Howard’s death. 

Tony wanted to protect Rhodes, but when Howard died he thought that he was _obligated_ to carry on Howard’s work. Obediah did nothing to disperse that thought, and actually urged on that type of thinking.

“I want to help the world, but I’m killing it instead.” Tony mumbled, and Rhodes looked behind him to motion Bucky and Peter to leave. This was obviously not something Rhodes wanted them to hear, the deepest insecurities of his best friend, and Bucky nodded before steering Peter away. 

“Is...is that really how Mr. Stark thinks?” Peter asked once they made it upstairs and Bucky slid a grilled cheese his way, because Rhodes had made enough for all of them. 

“I don’t know kid.”

* * *

Tony groaned and turned over, only to promptly fall off a bed. 

“What the hell...?” Tony stood up and looked around, before realization hit him.

_He didn’t escape._

“Fuck, I have to leave before they try to regress me.” Tony hissed as he crept to the door. He noticed that the chair next to his bed wasn’t there, and that the whole room was different, but shrugged it off. They probably moved him to a room deeper in the building, so it’d be harder to escape.

He put his ear to the door, and when he didn’t hear anything opened it. 

Only to be faced with another teenager, his junior by maybe a year or two, and the teen’s eyes widened.

“Oh you’re up-!” Tony pushed past him quickly and ran down the halls. They were different, he didn’t remember ever being here, and he was instantly wary. Where was he? Tony had thought he had been around the whole building, he even counted the steps while Wanda led him places to be sure. 

“Hey stop!” The teen yelled out, and Tony cursed him internally. He’s going to alert everyone else, and then Wanda will get him with her crazy ass magic. 

He felt a hand on his wrist, small, and his stomach dropped. How had that teen gotten to him so fast? Tony remembered his training from Aunt Peggy and turned around quickly before grabbing the other teen’s wrist and flipping him. Tony’s muscles strained but the move successfully got the teen to release him, so he counted it has a win.

Tony turned and ran down the steps, two at a time, and collided with someone else. They went down in a tangled mess, but Tony was on top in the end. He flicked his wrist, but then noticed the watch was gone.

The person quickly flipped him and he fought back viscously, trying to escape from the grasp they had on him. 

“Tony! Tony calm down! It’s me!” Tony risked stopping and looking at he person above him, and saw blue eyes.

“Bucky?” The person in question released his grasp on Tony and stood up, offering a hand to him. He took it and Bucky heaved him up to his feet. 

“Obviously punk, you know anyone else with an alter-ego?”

“I might.” Tony joked as he calmed his heart, adrenaline leaving his body. “So who was that kid I flipped?”

“I’m only one year younger than you, by the way, and my name is Peter Parker.” Peter said as he walked down the stairs, and Tony offered his hand.

“Still a kid in my books, and my name is Tony Stark. Sorry for flipping you, it won’t happen again.” Peter shrugged and shook his hand enthusiastically.

“It’s okay, I’ve been in worse situations. You move fast, I didn’t even realize I was being flipped until I was on the floor.”

“You can thank Aunt Peggy for that, where are we?” He directed the last question towards Bucky, who smiled amusingly.

“Malibu, you made it Tony.”

“Oh thank god,” Tony breathed, sagging against the wall besides him, “if I had to go through another day of Steve bitching to me I would’ve strangled him.”

“Language.” Rhodey said as he popped up besides him, and Tony rolled his eyes.

“Says you Mr. “If that kid makes one more sly comment about us I’m going to beat his-“ Tony’s mouth got covered by Rhodey, and he licked it. 

“Ew! That’s gross dude!”

“Don’t put your hand over my mouth.” Tony shot back, and they were interrupted by laughing. They looked over, and saw Peter leaning on Bucky for support.

“Oh dude, I’ve always wondered how you two acted when you met each other and this is funnier than I imagined.” Peter said between his laughter, and Bucky continues.

“You two bicker like an old married couple.”

“Well Sour-Patch over here _is_ old so you got half of that right.” Tony said as he nudged Rhodey, who glared at him for the comment.

“Yeah well just wait until tomorrow, you’re gonna be old as hell too.”

“Ha! You just admitted you’re old!” Tony ducks to avoid getting slapped in the back of his head, and then get put in a choke hold. 

“Wanna say that again?” Rhodey said, and Tony knows he’s joking around.

“Alright alright I yield! I’d rather not mess up my hair more than it already is.” Rhodey releases him, and Tony glared at him playfully.

“What do you remember? You were here yesterday, I don’t know why you freaked out.” Rhodey asked, and Tony frowned.

“Well...”

_‘I have to make weapons!’_

_‘You did it for me, to protect your best friend.’_

_‘Ana usually makes me grilled cheese when she comes to visit.’_

_‘No! I want him with me!’_

_‘Older me seems to trust him, adore him. Worst comes to worst if the Avengers are aware of him, they might try and kidnap him’_

“I remember. Most of it at least, I guess I freaked when I first woke up so the memories didn’t come back.”

“Younger you didn’t have any memories that you have, he didn’t remember me or Bucky.” 

“He vaguely knew who you two were, but couldn’t remember how he knew you. I don’t know, it’s weird.” Tony rubbed his head, obviously straining to remember what younger him was thinking, and Rhodey put a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s alright, you’re here now and tomorrow you’ll be back to normal so it’s okay if you don’t remember what younger you thought about us.”

“As long as I remember I’m happy.” Tony settled, and Bucky raised an eyebrow.

“Why do you want to remember?” He’d give anything to forget the 70 years of Hydra, and for Tony to be a teen he was taking it surprisingly well.

“Well, Howard always told me if I couldn’t escape be damn sure to remember so you can get them back for it later. It actually helped me to remember that when I was kidnapped, this one is no exception.” Right, of course Howard was the reason Tony was handling this better than most teens would.

_‘Your friend is making me glad I killed him.’_

_‘Shut up, that doesn’t make it right.’_

Rhodey nodded, “Even if you forget, we definitely won’t.” Tony gave a crooked smile at that and Peter and Bucky nodded in agreement with him.

“Thanks, always knew I could count on you guys.”

And then they went along with their day, Peter and Tony bonding more as they were both teenagers and Bucky and Rhodey having to chase them around. 

Later, though, Rhodey and Tony sat down. Peter and Bucky had went to bed and this was the perfect time for Tony to ask.

“Rhodey, was I still in touch with you when my parents died?” Rhodey looked surprised at this question, but answered anyway.

“Yeah, December 16th 1991. I’ll never forget that day. You had gotten the news right before I left to go see my family, so I took you with me. I didn’t want you mourning alone, but you left early from the trip.”

‘ _I’m going to show you the truth.’_

_‘One evil doesn’t negate another!’_

_‘How do you feel knowing your savior made you an orphan?’_

_Wanda, forcing him to watch clip after clip of Howard and Maria dying. Putting it on repeat. Again and again, cracked skull and the choking. The weak ‘Howard...’ falling out of his mother’s lips, and the confused ‘Sergeant Barnes?’ from his father. The blank look in the Winter Soldier’s eyes._

_It was all true._

“Tony!” The genius got shook out of it by the call of his name, and his eyes snapped to Rhodey’s.

“How’d they die?” Tony managed to say through clenched teeth, sweat beginning to form, and Rhodey looked concerned.

“I don’t think I should be telling yo-“

“Rhodey, I have to know. Please.” At his plea, Rhodey’s resolve broke.

“Car accident.”

_A cover up to hide the assassination._

“I have to go.” Tony stood up abruptly and, ignoring Rhodey’s call to him, walked up the stairs. When he reached his room he slammed the door behind him, wincing at the loudness, and stumbled over to his bed.

He got into the bed, lied down on his side, and curled up into a ball.

“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry...” Tony mumbled, thinking of his mom’s bright smile and Howard’s accomplishments _(how hard it would be to live up to that)_ and he wept for the loss of Maria and Howard Stark.

“Please forgive me.” Tony whispered into the night after hours of crying and apologizing and his eyes finally slipped close, exhausted from crying.

_But he knew there was nobody to answer his plea. Not anymore._

* * *

“Ugh why does the sun despise me?” Tony asked to himself as he was forced to get up from the sunlight in his face. 

He walked over to the door, before realizing he shredded his clothes from turning back to normal size.

“Huh, so this is how Bruce feels.” Tony walked over to the dresser in the room and picked out some clothes. After taking a shower, he made his way downstairs and saw everyone was already awake.

“Hey kid.” As Tony passed him, he ruffled Peter’s hair and Peter squeaked indignantly.

“Mr. Stark! You’re gonna mess up my hair!”

“A little too late for that, Friday coffee.”

“Of course Boss, glad to have you back.”

“Glad to be back.” Tony knew Wanda had it out for him, but regressing him to use him? Really? Tony turned and saw Bucky, then remembered last night with his younger self.

“You and me, Frosty Freeze, are gonna talk later.” Bucky straightened up when Tony addressed him and nodded his assent when Tony finished.

“Good, and thank you Friday.” Tony said as the coffee finished, and poured himself a drink.

“So what’s our plan?” Peter said excitedly, and Tony tilted his head.

“Our plan?”

“To get back at the Avengers!” Peter clarified, and Tony snorted. 

“Well first of all, it’s not gonna involve you at all.” Ignoring Peter’s ‘aw Mr. Stark!’ Tony continued, “And it’s going to be entirely legal too.” Tony saw Bucky slump, and internally snorted. It seems like Winter or Bucky, or both, was thinking something else entirely.

“That’s the Tony I know and begrudgingly love.” Tony turned around and laughed at Rhodey.

“Aww Sour Patch I know you love loving me.” Tony handed Rhodey a cup of coffee, and he nodded his thanks.

“Now who’s ready to go crash their party?” Peters hand rose, and Tony pointed at him, “Not you kid, we’re getting you straight to your aunt.”

“But you promised a week and it’s only been three.”

“Yeah well I’m not putting you in danger.” Tony thought about it and got an idea.  “How about you stay with Friday and watch us from here.”

“But Mr. Stark-“

“Take it or leave it. No other offer.” Tony said flippantly, and Peter sighed.

“Fine. I’ll stay here with Friday.”

“Good, Friday if he tries to leave let me know.” Tony said and he looked towards Bucky, “Hey you wanna babysit the kid?”

Bucky knew what Tony was doing, giving him an out in case he didn’t want to face Stevie yet, but he wouldn’t take the offer.

He had some things to say to Steve, and he had a feeling that the other super soldier won’t want to hear it.

“Nah, Friday’s got him. Don’t you doll?” Bucky asked and Friday gave her affirmative.

“Alright then, lets get going.”

* * *

“Oh I like what you’ve done with the place since I’ve been gone. Renovated one of the guest rooms to a torture room, very nice.” Tony drawls as he leans against the wall of the dining room, and everyone looks to him. 

“Tony! You’re...?”

“An adult? Yes I am, no thanks to our resident witch.” Wanda glowers at him, by he isn’t concerned. One arm movement, and his whole armor is on him. 

“Is that dinner? Very nice, and plentiful too! I didn’t get this, I guess peanut butter and jelly sandwiches is enough for a _growing boy though.”_ Tony says sharply, and Wilson looks away guiltily.

“What are you doing here?” Steve finally asks, and Tony looks around while he hums thoughtfully.

“Well, I thought I was allowed here. After all, I do _own_ the place but that’s here and there. Not to mention, I’m part of the team. Right?”

“Of course!” Steve nods along, and Tony wonders if it’s to get back on his good side to erase what just happened to him.

Well, too late for that.

“Why are you here? What’s your goal?” Natasha asked, and Tony expected her to be the one to say it. Always direct and to the point, but when confronted with the truth she’ll try to scamper into your corner and feed you _lies._

_Well, he won’t be falling into the web of lies this time little spider._

“My goal? It’s to give you a friendly warning, and it’s the only one you’re going to get so listen carefully.” Tony approached the head of the table and put his hands on the top of Steve’s chair, who was slowly stiffening. 

“What happened will not be swept under the rug, which is what you were hoping would happen, and severe repercussion will be coming. Entirely legal, of course, so I hope you have a good idea of the law because you’ll need it. Nothing made by me or Stark Industries will be available, which includes lawyers. SHIELD is currently a stakeholder in this compound so this will still be available to you, but the labs will not since they belong to me. I suggest you look up what’s going on in Sokovia after we left it to _die_ , because there’s a thing called The Sokovia Accords that are coming into play and you’ll need to know _everything_ about it.”

“Those haven’t been approved of yet.” Natasha said, and the rest looked confused. Of course they did, they have no idea what’s going on. For all Wanda preaches that she did it for her country, she doesn’t know a thing about it.

“Trust me, they will. You really think the world, the governments, doesn’t want a plan for us? They want to hold us accountable, and I’m all for it.”

“They’re going to control us.” Steve stood up, and Tony moved to see him. 

“Cap, please shut up. You know literally nothing about the Accords, and haven’t bothered to learn. The only one who can really say something with enough background information to actually have an idea of what they’re talking about is the Widow. And sometimes even then she can’t be trusted, isn’t that right Rushman?” Natasha winded slightly but, as always, had venom to shoot back with.

“I don’t know why you’re still not over that, you were a mission I had to complete.”

“I don’t worry, I’m completely over it. Just remember to give me the same courtesy when everything starts falling into place.”

“What’s that suppose to mean?” Clint asked, enraged, and Tony rolled his eyes at how easy it is to get him fired up.

“It means that everyone sitting at this dining table right now is _expendable_. You’re _not_ special, and you’re definitely not the only superhero group trying to help the world. Watch your backs, and go with the flow of the tide if you want to keep going the way you are. If not, well...” Tony straightens and fixes his tie, “don’t come crying back to me when things go horribly wrong for you.” 

“And what about you? Why doesn’t any of that apply to you?” Natasha asked, and Tony gave a cocky smirk.

“Because I’m Tony Stark.” He held up his signature peace sign and walked away, but then he heard a scrapping of a chair and turned around. It was Steve, and he was approaching him steadily. 

_And angrily._

Tony tapped his watch and realized belatedly that his armor would barely make it for it to assemble, much least prepare his defenses. True to his prediction, Steve was on him by the time the armor assembled on his body, and he threw his hands up in a desperate attemptto cover his face.

A blow never came. 

Tony peaked through his arms and saw Bucky standing in front of him, holding Steve’s fist in his flesh hand. 

“Bucky?” Steve asked, confused, but he was wrong because Tony knew that body language, the way he held himself, and it wasn’t Bucky.

“Никогда больше не пытайтесь возложить на него руки.” Winter growled, and Steve looked even more confused. 

 _[Don’t ever attempt to lay your hands on him again.]_ Friday translated, and Tony quickly thanked her before he focused back into the situation at hand.

Winter kicked out and landed a firm kick to Steve’s stomach and he stumbled back as Winter approached him quickly, and that’s when Tony realized he wasn’t stopping at protecting him.

“Winter hey buddy it’s okay. He got the message.” Tony took a step closer to Winter and put his hand on his shoulder. He looked over Tony once more before nodding and falling into place besides him.

“What did you do to Bucky?” Steve demanded, and Tony looked annoyed as Winter went back to Bucky.

“I didn’t do anything to him, I met him when I was a teen so I couldn’t of had did anything to him.”

“Stevie stop with the accusations.” Bucky jumps in and Steve looks at him.

“Which Bucky am I talking to?” Winter seemed faintly surprised that Steve knew that there was two of them, but Bucky figured he would.

“Bucky Barnes, the one you just talked to is Winter.”

“Bucky how are you standing with him? Is he threatening you?” Tony looked offended but Bucky was the one to answer. 

“I don’t understand why you think that.”

“You don’t know Tony like we do. You haven’t seen him at his worst.”

“Yeah? How is he at his worst, then?” Bucky challenges, and Tony crosses his arms as he prepares to listen to what Steve has to say.

“Ultron didn’t know the difference between protecting the world and destroying it. Where do you think he gets it from?” Wanda was the one to say it, and Tony chuckles darkly.

“Listen to me little witch, you don’t know a thing about me. You want to know something about your hate for me that you cover with childlike innocence? It’s very plausible that I didn’t even sell that weapon that destroyed your home. Around that time, Stark Industries was dealing with a traitor who sold weapons in the black market. He very well could’ve sold that weapon to the black market, and I wouldn’t of had known a thing about it. You want to talk about me? I think it’s best you get your facts straight first.” Wanda looked enraged and red pulsed around her, but Tony wasn’t concerned. 

“Who is the man you speak of?”

“Obediah Stane, but don’t worry about him. I killed Stane already.”

“You killed someone?” Steve looked shocked, and Tony let out a harsh laugh.

“Yes, I did. I killed those terrorists when I was captured in Afghanistan, I killed Obediah, and I killed more people just with my weapons. I killed in New York and in Sokovia indirectly, but I’m still at fault. But you know what? I’m ready to take responsibility for that, I’m ready to admit that while trying to save lives I also ended some. That’s what the Sokovia Accords are all about, putting us in check and holding us accountable. If you can’t get behind that, then you’re just as bad as the people we fight.”

“Tony, don’t do this. You’re going to tear the Avengers apart.”

“You did that when you allowed Maximoff to do whatever she pleased to me.” There was silence, Tony and Bucky on one side and the rest of them on the other side, and then Wanda spoke up.

“You say we left Sokovia to die, but so did you.” Her words were full of poison, and Rhodey appeared to the left of Tony.

“Actually, that’s where you’re wrong. The Maria Stark Foundation and Stark Relief Foundation as been giving money and supplies to Sokovia and the citizens to build it back up again. You didn’t know this, of course, because not one of you bothered to ask what’s going on in Sokovia and how you could help.”

“Colonel, I was wondering when you’d show up.” Natasha said dryly, and Rhodes shrugged in his War Machine armor.

“Well, I couldn’t let you guys bash Tony for no reason.”

“Stevie, look around.” Bucky tried to reason, “This isn’t what the kid in Brooklyn wanted. The little one, who’d fight for what he believed in no matter what.”

“I haven’t changed.” Steve said defensively, and Bucky took a step closer to him to put his hand on Steve’s shoulder.

“Yes, you have. It’s okay to change, nobody stays the same after 70 years, even if they were stuck in the ice.” Steve smiles a little at that and Bucky continues, “But you’re not the victim here anymore Stevie, you’re becoming the bully.”

“What?” Steve looked crestfallen at those words, and Bucky nodded.

“You have to see it, it’s right in front of you. The Steve I knew wouldn’t let Maximoff turn someone into a child for her own personal benefit, and he definitely wouldn’t of had taken _advantage_ of the predicament. That’s messed up and wrong and _not my Steve._ You’ve changed, but I don’t know if it was for the better.” Bucky backed away back to Tony’s side, and for the first time Steve didn’t have something to say back.

“What just went down is your only warning.” Tony’s faceplate flipped down as he spoke, “I guess we’ll see what happens.” They left, and the Avengers stood tense. 

Natasha, Vision, and Sam left to read up on Sokovia and the Accords.

Wanda and Clint stormed off while mumbling comments about Stark. 

And Steve just stood there, wondering if they would even be allowed to call themselves the Avengers anymore. 

And if he’d ever get to see Bucky again. 

* * *

It was night when it finally happened. 

“Hey Frosty Freeze, when I was with the psychos Wanda showed me some interesting stuff. I want to know if it’s true.” Tony leaned against the wall as Bucky stood in the middle of an empty room, the door shut behind them.

“Sure, ask away.” 

_Threat. One. Iron-Man. Danger level high. Escapes. None. Threat blocking the only door. Windows are heavily enforced.  
_

Bucky shook away the automatic observations that Hydra beat into him, and took a calming breath. 

Tony is his friend, he’s not a threat. He’s safe.

“Did you kill my parents?”

_Shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, I wonder what the Avengers will do now? We’ll be seeing the start of Bucky’s therapy next chapter and some of Tony’s plans being put into action. Comments are always appreciated and keep me motivated!


	6. Forgiveness Is Sacred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Truth comes to life, Tony wastes no time, and one of the Avengers tries to sneak their way back into good graces.

_Shit._

Bucky stared wide eyed at Tony, who stood with his jaw set. 

_‘We’re not getting out of this one.’_

_‘We can make a run for it, he doesn’t have any Iron man armor on and by the time he gets it on we’ll be long gone.’_

_‘Do you really want to run away?’_

_‘...No. Even as a child, Tony Stark was a much better handler than I’ve had with my time in Hydra.’_

“I don’t remember a lot of kills right now, but I remember that one. The after wipe they had to do to me was one of the longest.” It was true, that night he fought hard against the memory wipe because _he could’ve sworn he knew who Sergeant Barnes was._

In the end, he got wiped again.

“Right, I guess Wanda was right.” Tony ran a hand through his hand and seems relaxed, but Bucky could see his other hand clenched and a vein showing on his neck. 

“I’m sor-“

“Don’t.” Tony snapped out, and Bucky stood silent. “I can’t hear that right now, I just can’t right now.”

“Are you going to kill me?” Bucky asked quietly, and Tony chuckled humorlessly.

“Do you really think so low of me?”

“No no!” Bucky exclaimed, and then looked away, “But I know a lot of people would take the shot when given the chance, and it’s not like you don’t have the means to do so.”

They both knew he meant the armor, and Tony closed his eyes before opening them.

“I disabled it so it wouldn’t come to me when my heart rate picked up and I ordered Friday not to listen to me if I asked her to grab the armor in a fit of rage.”

“You’re handling this much better than I thought you would.” Bucky said slowly, honestly kind of skeptical, and Tony shrugs.

“Oh don’t worry, I’m seething at the core right now.” At Bucky’s wince, Tony continues, “But I know you’re not to blame here. You were just a puppet at Hudras hands, a mask to who truly killed my parents.”

“But it was still my face and my hands that killed your parents.”

“Barnes you’re not helping your cause.” Tony released a frustrated breath, “Intellectually, I know you’re not to blame, but emotionally all I can think about is that it’s _your_ face. But, I’m not blaming you. I can’t blame you for something you had no control over.” Tony ran his hand through his hair, “I have to go, like now.”

Tony turned around to leave and Bucky saw the tense lines running down his back and the way his posture was tense.

_‘He’s holding himself back.’_

_‘Thankfully, but he’s definitely not going to want to see us for a while.’_

_‘I’ll take that over the alternative.’_

“I’ll see you later Barnes.” Tony closed the door behind him and just barely stopped himself from slamming it, but it didn’t change the fact that Bucky flinched back anyway. 

* * *

Tony got done at least three StarkPhones and upgraded his armor twice over, he also finished all paperwork Pepper asked of him. 

He was sure she’d be happy for the new phones and finished paperwork.

“Yo Tony you haven’t been out of this lab for a good minute I think it’s time to head out.” The person in question scowled down at...whatever he was making, and pointedly ignored the voice.

“Jarvis I thought I told you to stop me when I started hallucinating.”

“Actually, sir, you told me not to stop you under no circumstances and that’s not a hallucination.”

“Ah, Rhodey then.”

“Good observation skills sir.”

“I’m going to sell you to a community college, see I don’t. Anyway, didn’t I put this lab under lockdown. As in, nobody gets in until I lift it or allow them in?”

“Yes well one of the override codes Colonel Rhodes has you didn’t ban.”

“Damn, alright then.” Tony reaches for a screwdriver and a hand stops him. He startled, when had Rhodey gotten so close?

“Tony, you gotta tell me what’s wrong. It has something to do with Barnes, doesn’t it?” Rhodes dives straight in and Tony jolts, how had he known?

“You a mind reader or something?” Tony craves alcohol, but he gave that up a long time ago after one too many drinks that resulted in a hospital visit.

“No, but Barnes has this kicked puppy look on his face.” Rhodes explained, and led Tony to the couch in the lab, “Talk to me Tones, do I need to go kick someone’s ass?” Rhodey says it jokingly, but Tony could pick up on an undercurrent of seriousness in his tone. 

“Nah, it wouldn’t do any good anyway.”

‘ _He could murder Rhodes and Peter.’_

_‘Shut up.’_ Tony shot back to his mind viciously, _‘It’s not his fault.’_

_‘Yeah, when are you going to start believing that? Truly?’_

_‘I do believe it. Why am I even talking to myself?’_

_‘Because you’re sleep deprived?’_

“Why? What happened?”

“He killed them. My parents.” Rhodes stared at him wide eyed, “Except it wasn’t him, not really, it was Hydra.”

“He did it while he was under?”

“Yeah.” Tony looked away and knew it was stupid, knew that not being able to think about it rationally was stupid. Barnes was tortured for _70 years_ and Tony couldn’t get over the fact he killed Howard?

A kill on an abuser was probably better than other people Barnes had to kill.

_‘It’s not Howard and you know it.’_

Tony very pointedly did not think about Maria or her smile or how she looked when she died...

‘ _Howard...’_

Tony closed his eyes in hopes it would make her voice go away.

It didn’t.

Rhodey, bless him, wrapped an arm around him and sighed.

“Even if you know he didn’t do it, you can still be conflicted about your feelings. Especially in this situation.”

“But it wasn’t his fault.” Tony opened his eyes and looked to the floor. He needed to get over this, Bucky’s BARF session was tomorrow and Tony had to be there to oversee it.

He wouldn’t throw away Bucky’s chance at getting the triggers out of his head because he couldn’t keep his emotions under control.

“Look you’ve acknowledged it’s not his fault, and that’s good. That’s more than most can do. But you need to let yourself truly believe that, and that means you need time.”

“We don’t have that luxury, time, the Accords are on their way and I’m expecting a visit from our favorite spider soon. Barnes needs to be done with his therapy before the Accords are finalized so we can take his situation to court. If he’s not done then when the Accords come into play he’ll be placed as a ward of the state or worse.”

“Nobody knows we have him?” Rhodey looked surprised and Tony rolled his eyes. 

“If they did do you think he’d be here right now? Most likely he’d be tried for the crimes of the Winter Soldier, but not the Winter you and I know.”

“The Asset.” It was slowly dawning in Rhodey as he grimaced.

“Exactly. But if we get him proper treatment and show his progress to the court, they’ll let me keep custody over him. Once that’s finalized we can continued BARF treatment and it’ll be done by the time the Accords are finalized. From there, Barnes can either resign as a normal citizen or sign the Accords.”

“So you’ll keep the fact you have him quiet until BARF is halfway done, show his progress to the court and get custody, and then finish it off so he can decide what to do next.” Rhodes pieced it together and whistled sharply, “You sure you can do it?”

“Positive, but if we want this to work we have to keep a schedule. Which means BARF therapy starts tomorrow.” 

“You waste no time, do you?”

“Nope.”

_Not even for my emotions._

* * *

“So how does this work?” Bucky asks, albeit a little nervously, as he looks around the lab. 

“Well, we first need to get basic readings off of you to gauge your brain stability before we dive into the triggers. We’ll need to hook you up to read your brain signals and Friday will be documenting them.” Tony leads Barnes to a chair and he grimaces, but then Tony seems to switch tracks and lead him to a couch.

“Sit, I have to move some stuff before we can start.” Bucky noticed that all the equipment seemed to be set up near the chair and fidgeted.

“I can sit in the chair if you want.”

“No, I want you to be comfortable for this. You obviously don’t want to sit there, so I’m not going to make you.” Tony started moving the equipment nearer the couch and moved the holograms too. “See, it’s easy.”

“What about that?” Bucky pointed to a machine that had a computer and dials on it, and it had wheels on it while all the plugs were to one outlet. “It looks too connected to be moved.”

“Well luckily that doesn’t need to be close to you.” Tony handed him glasses and Bucky took it, confused, “That’s BARF.”

“What?” Bucky peered through the glasses and saw the exact same thing that he did if he took them off. “This doesn’t look like what I was imagining it to be.”

“Don’t worry, once everything gets started you’ll see I’m not messing with you.” Tony cracked a smile, but it didn’t do much when he wasn’t looking at Bucky. No eye contact was a constant thing since the moment Bucky came down to the lab. Tony would fill the silence with fluff words but said nothing worth importance. 

Bucky wanted to bridge the topic but it wasn’t his decision to, that was up to Tony alone.

“I believe you.” Bucky said earnestly, and Tony looked his way as surprise flickered in his eyes before he looked away again.

“Alright lets get started.” There was a noise, to small to be heard through regular human hearing, and Bucky turned around just in time to see Rhodey behind a glass disappearing and then he was staring at his own reflection.

“Uh, what happened to Rhodes?” Bucky said uneasily, and Tony looked up from messing with the holograms to look over at the windows.

“It’s turned into a one way mirror, he can see us but we can’t see him. Are you ready?” Bucky glances back at the window one more time before nodding and turning to Tony.

“Right, put on the glasses and lets get started.” Bucky did as he was instructed and waited, “Lets start with the basics, I need something neutral, happy, and then more negative. We don’t want the triggers just yet, so try to avoid it.” Bucky nodded, and closed his eyes to think.

_Forest..._

When he opened his eyes, it was there in front of him.

“Woah...” Bucky was in awe, and Tony chuckled while he looked around at Bucky’s memory.

“I guess I should’ve warned you, it’ll project out here in the real world too. Pretty amazing, huh?”

“Yeah, it really is.” Tony seemed surprised again at his response and looked over to him, humming.

“I didn’t expect grandpas like you to like technology, or be interested in it.” Bucky was acutely aware that Tony used to have Steve as a teammate, and imagined how he would react to the futuristic side of the genius.

Judging by Tony’s surprise, not well.

“Yeah, well adapt or die right?” Bucky said jokingly and Tony snorted.

“You got that right.” Tony listened to Friday in his ear and nodded, “Alright let’s move on to something happy.”

Bucky thought about it and, surprisingly, the scene didn’t change except for one more new thing. 

A small child looking up at the stars and chatting excitedly to Bucky, smiling as he talked. The child reached his hand up to the stars and spread his fingers, as if trying to grasp the whole constellation.

‘ _Fondness...’_

“Is that me?” Tony walked around the scene and peered at the child.

“Uh yeah,” Bucky tilted his head as he stared at the scene, “you were talking about how Ana and Jarvis used to lay down with you on the grass and show you the constellations.”

“And this is when you were happy?” Tony seemed to have expected something else, but Bucky nodded anyway.

“Yeah, all three of us were at peace for once.” Bucky acknowledged Winter in his explanation and continued, “I never got a chance to do something like that before, and everything was so calm in the middle of the forest that I forgot everything going on in that moment.”

“I was blabbering your ear off.” Tony said, looking uncertain, and Bucky shrugged.

“Nothing I didn’t mind. I liked hearing you speak, telling me on new things, and you seemed happy that someone was listening to you.”

“Right well the negative memory is the final one, ready?” At Bucky’s nod, noticing that Tony always asks for his consent before moving on, and there was another noise behind him. He turned around just in time to see Rhodes’s horrified face before it disappeared again.

“Tony...? What happened?” Bucky called out as he turned towards the genius and felt Winter stir within him, sensing danger.

“Negative memory Frosty Freeze, and then I’ll tell you.” Tony said calmly, and Bucky just had to trust his word.

_Arguing..._

It appeared before Bucky could try and think of something else. Steve was in front of them, anger on his face, and then he went stumbling back as someone kicked him and snarled in Russian.

_‘Winter hey buddy it’s okay. He got the message.’_ It was the fight all over again, Tony giving out warnings left and right and scathing words being tossed around, except this time it was from Bucky’s point of view.

Tony and Steve seemed to take up the majority of the memory, and they were vastly different in it.

Steve was tinged with nostalgia and sadness, everything he said was coated with at least some hint of sadness and reluctant determination.

At least towards Bucky.

When it came to Tony, though, he grew harsher, irrationally so. His face morphed to stone, his tone grew harsher, and his eyes were flinty and cold.

He was the calmer anger compared to Tony.

Tony was tinged with righteous anger and the future, everything _he_ said was coated with anger towards his former teammates and some calm before the storm. The future was highlighted in Bucks vision, the armor and the earpiece were a few examples.

The accents of blue were highlighted on Steve, like his eyes, and red for Tony, like the armor and watch, but the rest faded back into a gray.

As they argued the harsher words louder than the others and Tony seemed more pissed than he himself remembered.

It played in a loop until Friday gave a confirmation that she got everything they needed, and Tony shut down everything.

“All of those memories are current, I was expecting something from back then.” Tony said, not looking up from the computer as he typed something in, and Bucky shrugged.

“I don’t have any feelings for those memories, it’s like watching someone else’s memories. It’s there but I have detached emotions to it, the only thing I might feel is nostalgia. So I pulled from my current memories instead, the ones that I was there for.” Bucky explained, and Tony hummed.

“That makes sense. I’m sorry for putting you in the situation.” Tony didn’t look up as he said it, but Bucky knew it was sincere.

“If I didn’t want to be there, I wouldn’t of had been.”

“Right, well one more memory cycle.” Tony looks at him for the first time with an apologetic but firm grimace, “This one needs to be from Winter.” 

“What?” Winter peaks up at this inside him and Bucky kept a firm grip on his control. “Why?”

“You guys are dual personalities that share control, which means I need some from Winter too.” 

“How many?”

“All three that you went through.”

“Even negative?”

“We’ll be avoiding the trigger memories but yes, even negative.”

“Are you sure this is safe?” Safe for Tony, they both knew what he was asking, and the genius scoffed.

“Obviously, I’m not dumb Barnes. I have Rhodes on standby in case anything happens.”

_No I don’t._

Tony kept his face neutral as to not give away that he was lying, and hoped Barnes would fall for it. Rhodey didn’t know what he was about to do, if he did then he’d think it too dangerous. But it was necessary, if he was giving Barnes the BARF treatment he was going to go all the way with it. He wanted Barnes to have the best chances at recovery and while having the baseline for the brain readings was all he needed, it would be the bare minimum. To get a complete reading, he needed Winter’s readings too.

“And you’re sure this is necessary? You can’t just take my readings and move on?”

“You want to get better don’t you?” Tony answered in a roundabout way, and technically he wasn’t lying.

Bucky struggled with this for a moment, and then sighed as he closed his eyes.

When he opened them, he was Winter.

“Alright big guy, lets get this started.” Winter sat quietly while Tony prepared everything for another round of readings, and then it was time to begin. 

“Neutral.” A market appeared, and a hand reached out to grab plums. They watched as Winter went through a conversation as he bought plums.

“Positive.”

‘ _Take me to America, and in return I’ll get the triggers out of your head.’_

“You were offering a chance of freedom, and while I was still wary it was an offer nonetheless.” Winter explained, seeing curiosity flicker on Tony’s face, and Tony nodded.

“Negative.”

And that’s when it all went to hell.

_‘Soldat.’_

* * *

Technicians surrounded him, prodding him and checking up him after a mission, and one stood from afar, surveying the technicians and him. 

A handler, then.

Only one was present, it seemed, and this was his chance to attempt an escape. 

He surged forward and swiped at the technician closest to him, and the technician glitched.

Was this a trick?

The handler seemed shocked, and Winter knew he was the only real one here. Running through the technicians proved him right as he went straight through them.

“Winter stop!” The handler called out as he equipped himself with some type of mechanism, and Winter didn’t listen. He didn’t know how the handler knew to call him by his actual name, and not the Asset, but he wasn’t going to fall for it.

Right when he got near enough to grab the handler, a noise rang out.

He flinched and stumbled back, and saw the handler with his hand raised.

“You gotta calm down dude, I’m not Hydra.”

“Liar.” Winter snarled, and was met with the same noise when he tried to step forward again. He realized it was coming from the mechanism on the handler’s hand, and knew he had to destroy it if he was ever going to escape. 

“I-I’m sorry. I give up, you’re not Hydra.” Winter stood where he was, taking the little information he knew from the handler’s words, and the handler looked suspicious.

“Yeah? You back with us?” At Winter’s nod, the handler sighed in relief. “Okay good, you had me worried there-“

_Crack!_

A yell of pain and the handler fell to the floor on his knees, his hand grasped tightly in Winter’s.

“Fuck.” The handler hissed out, and Winter only had time to release his hand and throw his own up in defense before he was blasted into a window.

Grunting, Winter hit the window and fell to the floor. He was distantly surprised that it didn’t even crack, but he shoved he thought away as he stood up. The handler had stood up and was clutching his hand, but Winter caught sight of another mechanism on the hand he didn’t break.

_‘Prepared.’_ Winter noted, and the handler gritted his teeth against the pain.

“Boss!” A voice sounded from above and Winter felt like he knew the voice.

“Friday stand down. Don’t let Rhodey in.” The handler-Tony hissed out, and Friday complied reluctantly.

_‘What the hell did you do?!’_ Bucky yelled at him, and Winter only had a second to realize what happened before he was getting pushed back and Bucky took control.

“Tony!” Bucky raced to the genius, and the person in question looked up at him.

“Buck-a-roo good to have you back. We got all the readings we needed and-“

“You’re hurt!” Tony looked away as Bucky continued, “Because of me!”

“It wasn’t Winter’s fault, it must’ve been too immersive for him-“ Tony tried to _defend_ Winter, and Bucky couldn’t believe it.

“If I came back to control and you were _dead_ -“ Bucky took a deep breath, “do you have no self-preservation instincts?!”

“Not really.” Before Bucky could say something, Tony continued on, “As much as I appreciate your concern, can we have this talk later? Preferably when my hand isn’t broken?” Bucky realized that this whole time he’s been yelling at Tony, the genius has been in pain.

“Y-Yeah, sorry.” Bucky stepped back and watched as Tony turned towards the computer and took a breath.

“Alright girl, let Rhodey in. Don’t tell him what happened.”

“Yes boss.” The door opened and Rhodes came in like an avenging angel.

“Tony if you _ever_ try something like that again I will call my mom on you.”

“No please don’t, I’m scared of Mama Rhodes.” Tony actually did look frightened, and Bucky wondered what kind of woman Rhodes’s mom was.

“Did anything happened? Are you okay?” Rhodes looked Tony up and down, and Bucky had to admit Tony had good acting skills. Rhodes didn’t even notice his broken hand.

“Nope, we’re both okay. I’m sorry that I blacked you out, but I didn’t want to make Winter nervous. Respecting his privacy and all that.” Tony explained, and Rhodes sighed.

“I know, but Tony I was worried. Something hit the window, and I thought it was you.” _I thought you died_ was left unsaid, but Tony knew that’s what Rhodey was getting at.

“Winter backed up into the window in a panic, BARF was a little too real for him.” Tony responded flippantly and, to Bucky’s surprise, Rhodes believed it.

“So everything’s fine?”

“Yup!” Tony said, popping the p, and went over to his work station where a hammer sat. “Now if you don’t mind, I have work to d-!” Tony cut off his words with a yell of pain, and Rhodes rushed over.

“What’s wrong?!”

“Ow fuck.” Tony grabbed his broken hand, and Rhodes took it gently.

“You broke your hand?!”

“The hammer fell on it.” Tony hissed out, and Bucky watched his lie from afar.

“We have to get you to a medic.” Rhodes rushed Tony out of the lab, and Bucky felt heaviness in his heart.

Tony lied, for him. To cover up what he did. What Winter did.

_‘He’s a good liar.’_

_‘Shut the hell up, I don’t want to hear anything from you.’_ Bucky said harshly in his head, and Winter fell silent.

How was he going to fix this?

* * *

Natasha finished reading the current draft of the Accords and hummed thoughtfully. 

“Stark would want something like this, his guilt is too large to go against something that’ll take the weight off his back.”

“Guilt? What guilt?” Steve asked, and Natasha grimaced.

“Well, he feels guilty about the deaths of the battles we’ve been to. He gave that away in his little tirade, and this is a perfect escape from it.”

“He shouldn’t feel guilty, we were going what was best for the world.” Steve said defensively, and Natasha nodded in agreement.

“Not in his eyes. For him, we caused unnecessary deaths.”

“The only unnecessary deaths _he_ caused was when he was a weapons dealer.” Steve scoffed in disgust, and knew what Tony did Howard would’ve never done.

“Well, he’s a formidable opponent, no matter what his beliefs are. If we’re not careful, he could tear us apart in court.” Natasha thought about the videos she watched of the Stark lawyers, and knew that Steve’s ‘Captain America’ reputation couldn’t save them from that.

“Well what can we do?” Steve treated this like a battle plan, and for him it was. If he took Stark out of the picture, then he could get to Bucky and have Wanda fix whatever was wrong with him.

“I’m going to go talk to him, see if I can get him back on our side.” Natasha stood up, plans already beginning to form in her head, and Steve stood up too.

“You don’t need backup?”

“No, it’s better that I go alone.”

“Alright, I trust you Nat.” Natasha smiled at that, and knew she choose the right person to stand behind. Stark may have the upper hand now, but soon Steve would turn the tide.

“I’ll be back before you know it, and I’ll see how Barnes is doing.” Steve nodded gratefully, and Natasha disappeared to prepare for her trip.

* * *

Tony swiped the hologram of Peter’s new spider suit away once he saved it, and started looking at Bucky’s readings. 

“Well, at least Winter was still hooked up when he freaked out.” Tony muttered as he started to make changes to BARF to make Bucky’s time a little more easier with it. He looked at the information they gained and compared the two reading to each other. It’s been around three weeks since the incident and his hand has now healed, but Bucky’s been acting guilty and Rhodes’s has started to grow suspicious. He’s making final adjustments, and then they’d be set for the rest of the BARF therapy.

“Alright Friday put that in and we should be good.” Tony said as he completed the adjustments, and Friday gave her confirmation as he walked upstairs. 

He drifted over to the kitchen and looked at the coffee machine, wondering if he should get sleep or stay up, when suddenly an error appeared in front of him.

Tony frowned at it, and tapped into it to see what happened.

_Program F.R.I.D.A.Y not working. Manual reboot required._

“What the hell?” Tony muttered, and stilled when his neck hairs stood on end. He’s learned from Afghanistan to follow his instincts, and the feeling of being watched he was intimately familiar with.

“Natasha, I would say it’s good to see you but out of the two of us I’m not the liar here.” Tony said smoothly as he turned around, and found Natasha staring at him emotionlessly. 

“You’re not going to ask how I shut your AI down?” Natasha questioned, and Tony shrugged.

“I already know.” He was cursing himself out for it too, for not fixing Friday’s weakness. 

A weakness he let the others exploit.

_“I know you’re...fond of your robots, but after Ultron we need to feel safe. We need to know that we have a backup plan in case anything happens.”_

_“...I’ll make something tonight, it’ll shut down Friday or any other AI I make.”_

_“Thank you Tony.”_

“I didn’t actually know if it’d work or not. When you told us you’d make something, I thought you were lying since you never like to put your AI’s at risk.” Natasha admitted, but Tony wasn’t in the mood for her thinly hidden barbs in her words. 

Tony thought about who was here in Malibu with him, and if they weren’t there where they were.

Rhodey had to go deal with something in the military, and he should be back by tomorrow-which is technically today if thinks about the time. 

Peter was back with May but promised to visit whenever he can, which translates to whenever school gets out or is on break.

So Bucky, him, and Natasha were the only ones here right now, and he was assuming Bucky was asleep.

“What are you here for Romanov?” Tony asked coldly, and Natasha smiled.

“What’s with the last name? We’re all friends here.”

“Friends huh? See, I was under the assumptions that _friends_ don’t hide the fact they know who killed my parents and use my resources to _find_ said killer. Unless I’m mistaken, I don’t think we’re _friends_ here Romanov.”

“You found out?”

“No thanks to you. But yes I did, it took a witch showing it to me and getting it confirmed but eventually I did find out.” 

“ _Wanda_ knew?” Here, Natasha actually looked surprised and Tony scoffed. 

“She’s Hydra, or used to be, what do you think?” Tony said sarcastically, and Natasha didn’t deny it. Good, at least she has _some_ common sense.

“How’s Bucky?” The question threw Tony off, and he frowned.

“Why do you want to know?”

“Steve’s worried.”

“ _Steve_ should realize he’s not Bucky caretaker.”

“And you are?”

“Excuse me?” Tony pushed off the counter and Natasha shrugged.

“You don’t have to do anything for him, especially after the news you received, and yet you are.”

“What, jealous that you’re not getting the same treatment anymore?”

“Are you his caretaker?“

“Barnes needs help, not someone to guide him by the hand and tell him who he’s _suppose_ to be. He’s the only person who can decide who’s he is, and I’m just helping him figure it out. I’m helping him get the triggers out of his head and helping him get a life.”

“Steve wouldn’t?”

“Steve would try to get him to be _his_ Bucky and when that fails would probably get Maximoff to ‘fix’ him. And the worst thing? Everyone in your group would be okay with it.”

“If Maximoff could help-“

“Maximoff wouldn’t be helping, she’d be manipulating. But, that seems to be the one trait all of you share.”

“How would she be manipulating?”

“She’d be shoving his problems in a box and locking them up, then _changing_ what makes him himself to her wishes.”

“And you’re not manipulating him?” Natasha throws back and Tony narrowed his eyes, done with accusations being thrown at him.

“I fail to see how I would be.”

“Making him go through Retro Framing, a machine _you_ made, to supposedly get the Hydra triggers out of his head. How do we know that while you’re getting the triggers out, you don’t put some of your own in?”

Tony opened his mouth to respond, but then-

“What’s going on here?” Tony whirled around to his left and saw Bucky, standing there in his pajamas with no shirt on and sweats hanging low. He had thrown his hair up in a messy bun, and his bare feet hit the floor as he took a step closer.

“Bucky, I don’t know what Tony told you but he doesn’t have your best interest in mind. He’s manipulating you.” Natasha jumped in first and Tony opened his mouth to defend himself.

A race to see who could convince Bucky first.

* * *

Bucky had gotten up to get a drink of water, when he heard voices in the kitchen. He jolted up, more awake than initially, and Winter was on alert. 

‘ _Female and male.’_ Winter relayed in his mind as Bucky threw his hair up in a messy bun, a precaution in case there was a fight, and he crept downstairs.

“And you’re not manipulating him?”

_‘The spider.’_

“I fail to see how I would be.”

‘ _Tony.’_

His voice was tight with anger, and Bucky was about to step in but then Natasha started talking.

“Making him go through Retro Framing, a machine _you_ made, to supposedly get the Hydra triggers out of his head. How do we know that while you’re getting the triggers out, you don’t put some of your own in?”Bucky didn’t hesitate to step in then, already tired of Natasha accusations.

“What’s going on here?” He saw Tony whirl around to see him, and saw his eyes widen as Natasha spoke up first.

“Bucky, I don’t know what Tony told you but he doesn’t have your best interest in mind. He’s manipulating you.” Tony shot her a glare and spoke to defend himself.

“I’m not manipulating you, and I never had the intentions to do so.”

“Tony always has an ulterior motive.”

“The only ulterior motive I ever had was to get you to help me get to America, and even then I was still honest about wanting to help you get better.”

“Why would someone with the knowledge of you killing their parents want to help you?” Natasha asked, pulling out her trump card, and waited for the doubt to appear on Bucky’s face. She knew this would be the thing that tore them apart, that would convince Bucky to walk from Tony and with her.

What happened next, though, surprised her.

“Because that person forgives them.” Tony said earnestly, keeping his eyes on Bucky the whole time. “I know you killed Howard and-“ Tony hesitated before shaking it off, “mom, but I forgive you. And it may not be my place, but I forgive you for the other kills too. You weren’t in control, and I wouldn’t be a genius if I couldn’t forgive you for it.”

Bucky breath got caught in his throat and he swallowed thickly as he nodded at Tony, no words needing to be said. With renewed confidence and trust that Tony placed in him, trusting that Bucky wouldn’t believe what Natasha was saying, he turned towards the spider.

It was a good plan, Bucky had to admit, to use his kills against him and Tony in hopes of wedging a gap between them filled with distrust, but it had one flaw.

Bucky had long since trusted Tony, even before the genius forgave him. While Tony only started trusting him completely now, Bucky had trusted Tony when he was a child. If he thought about it, the time he began to completely trust Tony was when he told Bucky to run away while he stood behind as a kid. The knowledge that he was willing to risk his own capture for Bucky’s freedom, freedom he hasn’t had for 70 years...

He couldn’t help but trust Tony.

When Tony grew up, Bucky still trusted him completely. He wasn’t a different person from his child self, just older and more wiser. Tony still had the same determination and drive to help Bucky and had let him into his world with Peter, Rhodes, and Friday.

He gave Bucky a family.

“Sorry _паук_ but you chose the wrong person to try and manipulate.” Bucky said, letting some of Winter’s coldness seep into his tone and Natasha let the earnest look on her face, to try to convince Bucky that she’s on his side, drop.

“You’re making a mistake.”

“The only person that’s making a mistake today is you if you don’t leave in, oh I don’t know, three minutes?” Tony looked at his watch, “Because in three minutes I’ll have Friday will be back online and she’ll be calling the cops on you. Oh, did I mention there’s backup cameras not connected to Friday videotaping this whole thing? _That_ would’ve been a handy thing to know before you snuck in here.”

“I’m your teammate-“

“You’re _Ironman’s_ teammate, for now at least.”

“You are Ironman.“

“Am I? Because I explicitly remember a report coming from you that said ‘Iron Man: Yes, Tony Stark: Not Recommended’ and that suggests you think of those names as two different people.” Tony said scathingly, and Natasha’s lips thinned as her words came back for vengeance.

“Back then-“

“I was too egotistical? Or, what was it, _volatile?_ Well, it doesn’t matter because right now you’re on _Stark_ property. That means if you’re not gone in the time frame I gave you, you’re going to get arrested and have your ass handed to you by my lawyers. I personally think it’s far too early for you to go up against my lawyers, that would be almost _too_ cruel. So, like I said earlier, I’m giving you a chance to go lick your wounds in the compound instead of _jail_. Make your choice.” Tony turned around and listened as Natasha paused, then turned and walked away. He heard Bucky snarl something at her in Russian, and then she was gone.

“Was it really a smart decision to let her go?” Bucky asked once he made sure Natasha left, and Tony shrugged. 

“We can’t try her legally anymore, and while we could’ve apprehended her and waited for the police to show up...” Tony trailed off, looked at him, and shook his head, “it wouldn’t be worth it.”

“Why not?” Bucky’s asked, confused, because the array of emotions that crossed Tony’s face as he looked at him made him believe that it had something to do with him.

“...It doesn’t matter.” Tony turned away and started walking down to the lab.

“Tony!” Bucky caught him by the wrist and the person in question stopped, “Why wouldn’t it be worth it?”

“It just wouldn’t.”

“I know it has something to do with me, so please tell me.” Bucky pleaded, and Tony let out a sigh.

“If we jailed Natasha news would get out that you’re here, and I’m housing you.”

“I don’t understand,” Bucky frowned, “is that a bad thing?”

“It could be if not timed correctly.” Tony responded vaguely, and it clicked.

“Nobody knows I’m here.”

“Not yet, once we get enough evidence to prove that you’re making progress in BARF I can take it to court and get you as my ward under the condition you keep at it with the therapy.”

“You’re risking your reputation, your _freedom_ -“

“I have enough clout and some pretty good lawyers that worst case scenario _you’re_ the only one getting hurt in the end. You could be tried for the crimes of the Asset in the worst case scenario.” 

“I already hurt you once-“

“Not intentionally-“

“You hid what happened and made up a lie-“

“Rhodey didn’t need to know-“

“And now you’re willing to do it _again!”_  

_“Excuse me?”_ Rhodes stood in front of them, both of them too caught up in arguing to have noticed at first, and Bucky felt dread and satisfaction tight in his chest now that Rhodes knew. 

“Rhodey, the stars to my moon, hey-“ Tony quickly worked to placate Rhodey, but he wasn’t being fooled.

“Explain what you were talking about. _Now.”_ Rhodes was furious, and Bucky knew this was going to be a long day.

* * *

“Are you ready brother?”

“I have no choice, so I suppose so.”

A suffering sigh and a bolstering laughing.

“Although, I am interested in seeing one of your comrades again. Stark, the one with a star in his chest.”

“Yes! I too would like to see the Man of Iron!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sneaky Natasha! Tony and Bucky definitely have some explaining to do, but at least they made some progress! We’ll be seeing how Rhodey takes things next time, and things are stacking up for the other Avengers. I wonder how they’ll react once Natasha comes back with the news on what happened. And the Accords will finally be talked about in the next chapter, yay! Huh, I wonder what those two at the end are planning?

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it! Next time we'll be seeing Bucky for the first time and more headway in finding Tony from the gang! Comments are always appreciated!


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